Jimbo Fisher announces wide receiver Hezekiah Jones forced to medically retire

The Texas A&M receiver room is a little smaller this season. Hezekiah Jones is medically retiring.

Jimbo Fisher confirmed the decision during a press conference Wednesday at the start of training camp. Jones dealt with multiple injuries during his career with the Aggies and didn’t play last season.

Jones appeared in 13 games over three seasons, missing the 2019 and 2021 campaigns. He totaled 35 receptions and 325 yards during that time, but the injuries piled up. He suffered a shoulder injury ahead of fall camp last year, but never fully recovered and will now retire.

Jones arrived in College Station as a four-star recruit and the No. 29 wide receiver recruit in the country from the class of 2017, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Jimbo Fisher addresses status of Ainias Smith, Chris Russell ahead of fall camp

Last month, Texas A&M players Ainias Smith and Chris Russell were involved in a DWI arrest. Smith got the charges dismissed, but Russell is still facing charges — and Jimbo Fisher addressed both of their statuses as training camp gets underway.

Smith was arrested July 20 or driving while intoxicated and carrying an unlawful weapon, the Houston Chronicle’s Brent Zwerneman first reported. The charges were dropped July 28. However, Russell faced charges of “failing to identify and giving false/fictitious information in the arrest involving Smith, as Smith’s passenger.” He allegedly gave a fake name and fake date of birth after an officer asked for his information.

Smith’s situation might have been amplified because he was supposed to attend SEC Media Days. However, given the situation, he didn’t make the trip to Atlanta, and Fisher addressed his mentality as practices get started after a report asked if Smith was “hurt” by staying behind.

“I think he’s come out and explained,” Fisher said. “You tell the truth and you move on and you can’t worry about that. You have to go play and do the right things and make the right decisions each and every day.”

Fisher also confirmed Russell was there, too, but didn’t say much more.

“Yeah, Chris Russell will be at practice today,” he said.