Bartlesville’s AJ Jones has been selected as a Bartlesville Area Sports Report Area Game Changer.
Courtesy photo
By Becky Burch
Nov. 11, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Bartlesville High School senior AJ Jones understands that leadership does not pause when you leave the field.
An outside linebacker and team captain for the Bruins, Jones saw his senior season cut short by a shoulder injury. Rather than stepping away, the veteran defender pivoted his focus to keeping his teammates motivated from the sidelines.
"I try to show up when I can and support my teammates," Jones said. "I want them to succeed just as much as myself."
That selfless leadership and commitment to his team have made Jones the latest featured standout in Bartlesville Area Sports Report's Area Game Changer series. The bi-weekly showcase highlights dynamic competitors across 12 area schools who transform their teams through leadership, effort, and heart.
Jones models his resilient, next-play mindset after Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams.
"No matter the game result or injury, he has a positive attitude," Jones said of Williams.
[RELATED: AREA GAME CHANGER: COLSON JERNIIGAN (BARTLESVILLE)]
That positive approach has defined Jones' football career, which reached a memorable peak during his first career varsity start. In a tight, down-to-the-wire matchup, the linebacker delivered the game-defining play.
"I will never forget my first win as a varsity starter in a close game," Jones said. "I recovered a fumble and we went on to win."
While individual plays stand out, Jones finds the true meaning of the program in the moments after the final whistle blows. For him, the Bruins' postgame routine connects the locker room directly to the town that supports them.
"My favorite tradition is our team prayer after games," Jones said. "It involves the entire community in our success."
His time under the Friday night lights will soon give way to a new numbers-driven pursuit. After graduation, the senior plans to trade the gridiron for a collegiate campus and a career in business. He intends to attend Oklahoma State University to study accounting.
For the younger athletes stepping up to fill the void on the Bruins' roster next season, Jones echoed Bruin head football coach Matt Hennesy's coaching philosophy. When dealing with the grind of the season, Hennesy constantly reminds his team to trust in the process—a message Jones took entirely to heart.
"Trust the process," Jones said. "The hard work pays off more than you think."
PAST AREA GAME CHANGERS:
-Wyatt Mathis (Bartlesville)
-Marshal McDaniel (Dewey)
-Madie Nachbor (Bartlesville)
-Marcus Bryan (Copan)
-Colson Jernigan (Bartlesville)
-Macee Secondine (Copan)
-Allie VanDenDriessche (Caney Valley, OK)
-Pierce Butler (Dewey)
-Jacklynn Thompson (Copan)
