Pacman Set To Play
NFL Reviewing Incident; Team Not Planning Discipline
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IRVING, Texas - After conducting and completing a full investigation on Adam Jones' recent off-the-field incident, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Thursday he doesn't expect his cornerback to be disciplined by the club.
As for the NFL, that could be a different story.
The league has begun its own investigation on Adam Jones' altercation with his personal bodyguard at a Dallas hotel Tuesday night that left some minor damage in the hotel bathroom after a reported physical altercation between the two.
In a rare press conference with reporters on Thursday, Jerry Jones told the media he was unaware of the league's timetable on a decision regarding a possible suspension.
"I think they view it very seriously . . . very seriously," the owner said. "I know firsthand they do, because the commissioner (Roger Goodell) was counting on me. He's certainly counting on me to really manage this."
Adam Jones met with members of the NFL's security team at Valley Ranch after participating in Thursday's practice. The Cowboys are preparing for him to not only play, but start in Sunday's game with the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cowboys are not expecting any decision or final announcement regarding the NFL's investigation on the incident by Friday. If a final decision is made of any kind, the Cowboys are expecting it to come no sooner than next week.
Jones is expected to start at left cornerback in place of Terence Newman, who is getting a second opinion about his lower abdominal strain, an injury that could potentially keep the Pro Bowl cornerback out for a month, if not longer, depending on the results of Newman's latest MRI tests.
And that makes the timing of this Pacman Jones incident even more concerning.
Still, Jerry Jones opened his media briefing on Thursday stating the club had "all the facts" of the incident, and didn't feel it warranted a fine or suspension from the team, despite Adam Jones' past, which included six arrests and more than 10 run-ins with authorities during his two years with the Titans. All of which led Goodell and the NFL to suspend Jones for the entire 2007 season.
"Knowing the facts," Jerry Jones said. "I'm not, as far as the availability of the information that I have right now, we don't have club discipline in mind."
As for the facts, Jerry Jones confirmed that Pacman and his bodyguard Tommy Jones, who was not only appointed by, but is being paid by the Cowboys owner to accompany the cornerback off the field, had some "friendly banter" that turned physical in the bathroom of the hotel, the site of a party hosted by the rapper "Ludacris."
According to police reports, Pacman physically punched his bodyguard, but Tommy Jones decided not to pursue any action with the authorities and the hotel decided not to file charges as well.
Early Thursday morning, the Dallas Police Department issued this statement:
"Two police elements arrived at the call and it was determined that the disturbance was over and that some hotel employees over heard a scuffle in the men's lobby restroom. According to the reporting officer, there were no witnesses that came forward, at that time, stating that an assault had occurred. The hotel management did point out that a glass light switch plate had been broken but stated everything was OK.
Both of the men, one being identified as Adam Jones and the other as his private bodyguard, stated everything was "OK". Both parties were driven from the location by an acquaintance. The information on the alleged assault by Mr. Jones was obtained after the incident had ended and the alleged victim, (bodyguard), did not want to pursue any action stating that this issue was a private matter."
Coincidentally enough, the incident occurred in the early morning of the day NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was in town to meet with the team about league issues.
Goodell was a guest on ESPN Radio and said the league is continuing to investigate the matter and wouldn't speculate whether or not Jones would be suspended or fined.
"We are trying to determine all the facts," Goodell said. "It's clear there was some type of incident and we want to understand all the facts. Once we understand all the facts we can make a judgment.
"There were certain things I expected of him and I think he'd understand that," Goodell said. "I guess I'm disappointed we're having this discussion."
It was Goodell who officially lifted Jones' one-year suspension on Aug. 28, hours before the Cowboys' final preseason game with the Vikings. However, Goodell allowed the cornerback to participate with the Cowboys' during a summer mini-camp and training camp. And when Adam Jones made it through the summer without any incidents, Goodell lifted the suspension, allowing the cornerback to play with the team at the start of the season.
However, Jerry Jones admitted Thursday that he has talked with Pacman about keeping a low profile in public and has even asked him not to attend certain events, including a beach volleyball charity event that featured other professional athletes.
Overall, Jerry Jones said he was disappointed to learn of a new incident after asking his player to make better decisions.
"Yeah, I am disappointed. I am disappointed in that we're having to deal with this," Jerry Jones said Thursday. "We knew from the very beginning that because of bad decisions in the past from Adam that are well documented, that some need to be resolved and they need to be resolved in clarification as to what he was and what he wasn't doing in those incidents."
Jerry Jones added that because of the recent history of events involving Pacman, that he won't get the benefit of the doubt in any situation, and didn't exactly say he disagreed with that.
"I'm well aware of every incident that he was involved in before he joined the Dallas Cowboys," Jerry Jones said. "Consequently, he has built up, before he joined the Cowboys, he built up a reservoir of doubt. He has created with his actions no benefit of the doubt. We knew, not from the standpoint of protecting him physically, we knew that if he did go out in public that it was important - because he had no benefit of the doubt left - that it was important that if he got in an awkward situation, which can happen by notable people, that they be there to protect that as well.
"Now, candidly, it never occurred to any of us that he might have an incident that would be anywhere close to being public with an individual that was sitting there to keep that from happening. But that's what we're dealing with here."
Jerry Jones said he did not expect any changes in the security staff that accompanies Pacman, including removing Tommy Jones. The Cowboys owner did state that he hoped for the overall security process to "get better."
As of now, the Cowboys aren't expecting any kind of changes. Pacman Jones will continue to practice and get ready to play this week in Arizona and no disciplinary action is expected.
The NFL might have a different view, but it's not likely that will occur before the Cowboys play their next game.