Jonathan Babineaux attended Lincoln High School in Port Arthur, Texas. He was the team captain of the Bumble Bees football team and a first-team All-District linebacker. He also was an excellent punter, averaging 40 yards per punt, and participated in basketball, baseball, golf, and track and field.

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Babineaux attended the University of Iowa, finishing his collegiate career with 131 tackles (39 for losses), 19 sacks, 24 quarterback hurries, one interception, two pass deflections, four fumble recoveries, and five forced fumbles.

 

Babineaux was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round with the 59th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft. In 2009, he had nine tackles and 2.5 sacks against the Washington Redskins. He had a career-high six sacks in 2009, which led all NFL defensive tackles. In 2010, he posted 31 tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery, which was returned for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks.

 

Babineaux started all 16 games in the 2012 season and recorded 3.5 sacks, 31 total tackles, and one interception. In the 2013 season, he recorded 42 total tackles and one sack.

 

At the end of the 2016 season, Babineaux and the Falcons reached Super Bowl LI. The Falcons fell in a 34–28 overtime defeat to New England. After the Super Bowl, Johnathan Babineaux retired from the NFL after a stellar 12-year career.

 

Jonathan is the older brother of former Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans safety Jordan Babineaux and is a member of the Museum of the Gulf Coast, Sports Hall of Fame.