Conference USA Player Arrested, Allegedly Choked Girlfriend

A Conference USA football player was recently arrested for a misdemeanor violence charge. According to AL.com. Tylan Jones, 21, a defensive lineman for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) was booked into the Blount County Jail earlier this month on a charge of third-degree domestic violence. The report from the Blount County Sheriff’s Office states that Jones is accused of multiple acts of violence against his now ex-girlfriend, a 21-year-old woman from Blount County.

The woman obtained a temporary protection from abuse order against Jones. The incident report says that Jones has choked, hit and thrown the women to the floor over the past month. He is also accused of kicking the women in the head, beating both of their dogs and smothering his girlfriend with a pillow. It’s also reported that Jones threw a long kitchen knife at the woman.

“He then pulled the knife out and told her he would kill her if she told the police,” the report states. The knife got stuck in the woman’s leg and had to receive stitches. “She states she is in fear of her life,” the report states. UAB released a statement to AL.com once there were made aware of Jones’ arrest. 

“Of course we take this news extremely seriously,” UAB associated athletic director Ted Feeley said. “We will look into it and take any appropriate action that may be necessary.”  According to Jones’ bio, he played in two games last season for UAB and recorded two tackles. There are no stats for him this season. Jones is from Mississippi and committed to UAB in 2019. He joined the team last season as a junior. 

The UAB Blazers football team was launched in 1991 as a Division III school. I then moved up the ranks of Division I before joining Conference USA in 1999. After the 2014 season, the school terminated the football team but was reinstated shortly thereafter. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football returned in 2017 and won the Conference USA title in 2018. Last year, UAB won the Conference USA title again and was set to play South Carolina in the Gasparilla Bowl. However, the game, which was set to be played in Tampa, Florida, was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.