League gives ‘Pacman’ another turn
Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008
ARLINGTON, Texas — The NFL is giving Adam “Pacman” Jones another chance.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday the suspended cornerback has been reinstated by league Commissioner Roger Goodell, but he must miss two more games — Sunday and the next game on Thanksgiving.
“He much appreciates the Cowboys and Jerry Jones for standing behind him and encouraging him, and he’s grateful to the commissioner,” said Worrick Robinson, Adam Jones’ Nashvillebased attorney.
Jerry Jones would not reveal any conditions the commissioner might have imposed and the league office said it would not have any immediate comment. However, Robinson, said, “He knows what he has to do. It’s very clear.”
“He’s a long way, a long way from having clear sailing,” Jerry Jones said.
Adam Jones was suspended for the 2007 season because of multiple incidents while with the Tennessee Titans. Over the offseason, he was traded to Dallas and then given another chance by Goodell. The Cowboys gave him a security team to help keep him in line. But on Oct. 7, Jones got into an alcohol-related scuffle with one of the bodyguards during a private party at a Dallas hotel.
Jones spent part of his time away undergoing alcohol rehabilitation.
It also will be up to Pacman to police himself. The Cowboys will no longer be providing bodyguards.
Jerry Jones said Adam Jones can have “limited participation” this week, but will not be part of full-squad practices or conditioning. He can return to practice Monday.
Goodell suspended Adam Jones indefinitely on Oct. 14, saying he’d put a timeframe on it after the cornerback missed at least four games. This decision means it will be a six-game suspension. By the time he returns, he will have been suspended from 22 of a possible 28 games after sitting out the 2007 season.
Jones still leads the club with 11 passes defensed; nobody else had more than five. His 27 tackles are second-best among defensive backs. He also forced a fumble and recovered one.
Jones practices IRVING, Texas — Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Felix Jones (Arkansas Razorbacks ) returned to a portion of practice, but is not likely to play against the San Francisco 49 ers on Sunday. Jones has been out since hurting a hamstring Oct. 12, and Coach Wade Phillips revealed Wednesday that “some other things came up during his injury rehab.” Phillips said it wasn’t a knee injury, but wasn’t any more specific. Neither was owner Jerry Jones. “There is more. What we are doing is evaluating that,” Jerry Jones said. “There are parts of it we are having to look at intently and see if he has his strength in some areas, and some direction.”
Asked for clarification, the owner responded, “We are trying to see if he can play at full strength.... It’s not the hamstring. We are trying to see if the ‘more’ will allow him to play.”
The practice report released by the team said the running back had limited participation Wednesday because of the hamstring.
Dallas hasn’t scored more than 14 points in the four games Jones has missed after scoring at least 24 in the six he played. The Cowboys have missed Jones’ bigplay ability.
He’s gained 266 yards on 30 carries, an average of 8. 9 yards per attempt, with 3 touchdowns: an 11-yarder on his first NFL carry, a 60-yarder and a 33-yarder. He also has a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and is averaging 27. 1 yards over 16 returns. That’s about 5 yards per return better than his replacement, Miles Austin.
VIKINGS DE fined, not suspended EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has been fined $ 25, 000 for a recent spate of late hits, but he won’t be suspended. After his summons to NFL headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Allen returned to continue resting and rehabilitating his sprained right shoulder. He vowed his approach to pass rushing will not change, even though he’s been fined a total of $ 80, 000 this season — over three separate levies — for what the league has deemed unacceptable contact during games. “Not at all. I will play football the way I play football, and that’s the way it is,” Allen said. “I’m not a dirty player. I never have been. I play hard football, and that’s the bottom line.” The league has been cracking down on the rough stuff this season more than ever. Allen was fined $ 50, 000 for two late hits earlier this month on Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, one that injured his knee. The next week against the Green Bay Packers, Allen was called for roughing the passer after knocking down Aaron Rodgers. He was also fined $ 5, 000 for a late hit in a game at Chicago in October.
BUCCANEERS
Top rusher on IR TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers leading rusher Earnest Graham will miss the rest of the season after injuring his right ankle during Sunday’s victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Graham limped off the field after his only carry against the Vikings. The Bucs said he hurt his ankle, but did not release specifics about the injury. Despite sacrificing some opportunities to carry the ball this season because the Bucs needed him to fill in at fullback, Graham is the club’s leading rusher with 563 yards and a team-best four touchdowns. With Graham out, Warrick Dunn moves into the featured tailback role.
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