Jones played for Halifax amateur teams, Ovenden and King Cross before turning professional and signing for Halifax.[6] He made his first team début aged 17 years and 200 days in what was to be his only Super League appearance, Halifax's last game of Super League VIII in 2003.[6] He remained with Halifax until 2006 when he joined Keighley Cougars for the start of the 2007 season. After four seasons with Keighley, he returned to Halifax for the 2011 season but then moved back to Keighley in 2012.[2]
During a League 1 match between Keighley Cougars and London Skolars on 3 May 2015, Jones was substituted in the fourth minute of the game after reporting feeling unwell. Soon after he went into cardiac arrest, he received treatment at the scene by the match doctor and was transferred by air ambulance to the Royal Free Hospital where he subsequently died.[8][9] The match was abandoned after the incident.[9] A post-mortem revealed that the cardiac arrest was caused by a previous undetected, hereditary, heart disease.[10]
Keighley announced on 4 May that the number 6 shirt number worn by Jones during the 2015 season would be retired with immediate effect.[11] The shirt was un-retired for 2025 after discussion with Jones's family to mark the tenth anniversary of Jones's death.[12] The main stand at Cougar Park was named The Danny Jones Stand at the end of May.[13]
In February 2016, Lizzie worked with the RFL Benevolent Fund to establish the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund to raise awareness of cardiac health among sports players and to help clubs purchase defibrillators as well as pushing for all players to undergo heart screening. By 2019 the fund had raised and distributed over £200,000 in grants to amateur clubs. In the 2020 New Year Honours, Lizzie was awarded an MBE for services to Rugby League Football and to Charity.[16][17]
