Missouri football offensive tackle Johnnie “DJ” Jones has received a heart transplant, Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz announced on Thursday, Oct. 8.
In a post on social media, Drinkwitz said Jones underwent surgery on Wednesday, Oct. 7 and that the procedure "went well."
"We are incredibly grateful for the medical team who cared for DJ and for the donor and donor family whose extraordinary gift made this possible," Drinkwitz wrote in a message. "Please continue to keep DJ, his family, the donor family, and his caregivers in your prayers as he begins the recovery process. We are so thankful for the incredible prayers and support from the entire Mizzou family. We will continue to update you when we can."
— Eliah Drinkwitz (@CoachDrinkwitz) October 8, 2026
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Drinkwitz had revealed during a news conference earlier in the week that the freshman required a heart transplant. The Tigers’ coach said that the program discovered Jones’ heart issues when he first arrived on campus and underwent medical testing. Jones underwent observation for two weeks in Columbia, Missouri before being sent to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida for a second opinion.
Last week, Missouri was informed that Jones had been placed on the heart transplant list after doctors uncovered a "significant issue."
Jones was one of the top players in the Tigers’ 2026 recruiting class. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive lineman was a consensus four-star recruit who was ranked by 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 161 prospect nationally in his class.
During an in-game interview in Missouri’s 45-17 win over then-No. 8 Florida last Saturday, Drinkwitz shouted out Jones, telling the promising offensive lineman that they loved him and were praying for him.
With the resounding victory over the Gators, the Tigers improved to 4-1 and moved up nine spots, to No. 16, in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Missouri freshman Johnnie Jones receives heart transplant in successful surgery
