University of Missouri freshman offensive lineman Johnnie Jones recently received a heart transplant on Wednesday night, Oct. 7, 2026. His coach, Eli Drinkwitz, recently shared the latest update on his recovery on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.
According to Coach Drinkwitz, Jones is recovering after successful surgery. “Last night, DJ received his heart transplant, and his surgery went well,” Drinkwitz wrote in a statement posted to social media. “He is now recovering.”
The update arrives two days after Drinkwitz disclosed that 18-year-old Jones was added to a heart transplant list following his hospitalisation at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Missouri’s medical staff first detected a heart condition during the summer’s standard freshman screening, monitored Jones for two weeks, and then sought a second opinion when they didn’t achieve the desired resolution. He was then sent to Mayo Clinic, where doctors discovered what Drinkwitz labeled as “a much more significant issue.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the medical team who cared for DJ and for the donor and donor family whose extraordinary gift made this possible. Please continue to keep DJ, his family, the donor family, and his caregivers in your prayers as he begins the recovery process,” Drinkwitz also wrote on social media.
According to the Kansas City Star via The Athletic, Drinkwitz appeared during Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference and shared that Jones was in heart failure. As per Drinkwitz, Jones was placed on ECMO, a form of temporary life support that circulates and oxygenates blood outside the body, while he was awaiting a donor heart.
The freshman has now undergone a successful heart surgery and is now recovering from it. Meanwhile, Jones' family has started a crowdfunding page to support the Jones family during this tough time. As of now, around $6800 has been raised out of their $200,000 goal.
— Eliah Drinkwitz (@CoachDrinkwitz) October 8, 2026