Eli Drinkwitz gives positive update on freshman Johnnie Jones post-heart transplant
Mizzou freshman Johnnie Jones, who had a heart transplant earlier this month, had his breathing tube removed and his new heart is working on its own.
On October 27, Missouri football's head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced that freshman Johnnie 'DJ' Jones had had a significant milestone in his recovery after receiving a heart transplant 20 days prior. The young athlete, who had been in Jacksonville, Florida, was able to remove his breathing tube and both his heart and lungs were functioning independently, according to Drinkwitz.
Jones communicated with his coach via text message and Mizzou offensive line coach Brandon Jones managed to visit him during the Tigers' idle week. Drinkwitz expressed optimism about Jones' progress, saying, "His mom sent me a picture yesterday of him being outside, so things are moving in a positive direction."
The team had identified a heart issue during Jones' freshman intake in the summer, and they closely monitored him for two weeks. However, they felt that they weren't getting the desired resolution, prompting them to seek a second opinion. They sent Jones to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. He was discharged initially but had to be readmitted and placed on an ECMO machine, which takes over the heart's functions.
In a press conference on October 6, Drinkwitz revealed the severity of Jones' condition, announcing that the 18-year-old freshman from Venice, Florida, would require a heart transplant. Jones was successfully transplanted overnight on October 7. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing 305 pounds, Jones is an offensive lineman and among the top-ranked recruits in the 2026 cycle.
While Jones has a long way to go in his recovery, Drinkwitz expressed pride in the progress made. The article, originally published on Columbia Daily Tribune, also included a link for supporters to help Jones and his family during his extended hospital stay.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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