Mizzou football player gets heart transplant, coach says

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A University of Missouri football player received a new heart on Wednesday, head coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

Drinkwitz posted on X on Thursday morning that freshman lineman Johnnie "DJ" Jones went through a heart transplant Wednesday night. Drinkwitz said the surgery "went well," and that Jones is recovering.

https://t.co/wopk0fiZIz

— Eliah Drinkwitz (@CoachDrinkwitz) October 8, 2026

"We are incredibly grateful for the medical team who cared for DJ and the donor and donor family whose extraordinary gift made this possible," Drinkwitz said in a statement. "Please continue to keep DJ, his family, the donor family, and his caregivers in your prayers as he begins the recovery process."

Drinkwitz told reporters on Monday that Jones needed a heart transplant after freshman intake tests for football players found an issue. The school worked with Mayo Clinic in Jones's home state of Florida, which discovered "a much more significant issue," he said.

Jones is an offensive tackle from Venice, Florida. He committed to the Tigers in October 2025 and signed with the team that December.