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Missouri freshman offensive lineman Johnnie 'DJ' Jones is in need of a heart transplant and is currently hospitalized in Jacksonville, Florida, according to an announcement made by Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz on Tuesday.
The heart issue was first detected by Missouri's medical personnel during routine freshman testing in the summer. After monitoring Jones, a former four-star recruit from Venice, Florida, for a couple of weeks, the staff was not satisfied with the available options. Jones was then sent to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, where doctors identified a much more serious problem.
Drinkwitz shared that he and the team learned last week that Jones requires a heart transplant.
The Tigers are fresh off a 45-17 victory over the eighth-ranked Florida Gators, a statement win that propelled Missouri from No. 25 to No. 14 in the weekly AP Top 25 poll. In the aftermath of that top-10 triumph, Drinkwitz took a moment to honor Jones.
"I want to give a shout-out to Johnnie Jones," Drinkwitz said during his postgame interview on ABC. "DJ, we love you, man. We're praying for you. We'll see you."
Jones is part of Missouri's 2025 recruiting class, which is widely regarded as one of the best in the nation.
"I know Johnnie was watching our game," said Drinkwitz, who became emotional during his Tuesday news conference. "It's just hard. [He's] an 18-year-old with everything in front of him, and you're just not prepared for that kind of news. Our team wasn't prepared for that kind of news. We're praying for him, and I know a lot of Mizzou fans will hopefully join in that prayer because he does need help in a hurry."
Missouri is set to face Texas A&M at noon ET on Saturday.
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Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again. Follow Tim Capurso.