Consumer reporter Jesse Jones is pulling up stakes after nine years at KING/5 and moving over to Belltown to join KIRO/7, although you won’t hear his distinctive sign off on the air for several months.

Jones made the announcement over the weekend on his Facebook page.

“I leave KING because of a new and exciting opportunity at KIRO-TV,” he wrote. “I will begin in October. Because of my contract with KING, I will not be able to appear on air in my new job until April.

“This is going to be thrilling with lots of hard work in store. But I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Jones, who grew up in Tacoma, was a star fullback who helped Montana State University to a national title in 1984. He worked at WMAR in Baltimore and WLWT in Cincinnati before joining KING’s investigative team in 2005.

Using a broadcaster’s talents, and a won’t-be-stopped style borrowed from his gridiron position, Jones blew threw dishonest Puget Sound-area businesses and made “Get Jesse” a consistently interesting feature on the evening news.

“I want to thank the station (KING) for its support of my family and the Get Jesse franchise. Again, thank you,” he wrote.

And KING morning anchor Joyce Taylor, who was once at KIRO, responded: “Love you, Jesse. I miss you already . . .My home-boy forever. Peace.”