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Adam Jones

Adam Jones on the sideline of a West Virginia University football game in 2007.
Cornerback / Return specialist
Personal information
Date of birth: September 30, 1983 (1983-09-30) (age 26)
Place of birth: Atlanta, Georgia
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	Weight: 186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
College: West Virginia
NFL Draft: 2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6
Debuted in 2005 for the Tennessee Titans
Last played in 2008 for the Dallas Cowboys
Career history
As player: Tennessee Titans (2005-2006) Dallas Cowboys (2008)
CFL status: Import
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Big East (2003) First-team All-Big East (2004) Big East Special Teams Player of the Year (2004) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2005)
Career NFL statistics as of 2008
Tackles	146
Sacks	1.0
INTs	4
Stats at NFL.com

Adam Bernard Jones (born September 30, 1983 in Atlanta, Georgia), is a former professional American cornerback and return specialist. He was drafted in the first round with the sixth-overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He played college football at West Virginia. He was formerly referred to as "Pacman Jones".

Jones has also played for the Dallas Cowboys. He was suspended from the NFL for the entire 2007 season and for part of the 2008 season for off-the-field conduct.

[edit] Early years

Jones was raised by his mother, Deborah Jones, and his grandmother, Christine Jones; his father was murdered when Jones was four years old. When Jones was a freshman at West Virginia University, his grandmother died of cancer; Jones missed the only game of his three-year college career to attend her funeral. On the day of the NFL Draft, Jones wore a t-shirt that featured his grandmother's picture.

Jones attended Westlake High School, in Atlanta, Georgia. Westlake High School is considered a football powerhouse; in 2005, the school had the most alumni in the NFL with six players.^[1] In football, Jones played in the Georgia-Florida all-star game, and was selected as the conference "Player of the Year" following his senior year after totaling 120 tackles, six interceptions and 1,850 rushing yards.

In addition to his accomplishments in football, Jones also earned All-American honors in basketball and track. His basketball team won two state championships.

[edit] College career

Jones also was an Athletic Coaching Education major and a member of the Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll. As a freshman in 2002, Jones appeared in 11 games for West Virginia as a reserve cornerback and safety. He totaled one interception and one forced fumble with 36 tackles. During 2003, he appeared in all 13 games, starting 9 at cornerback, and taking over full-time kick return and punt return duties. Jones' second season resulted in a second team All-Big East Conference selection with his career-high 89 tackles and four interceptions, one being for a touchdown. He also had six tackles for losses, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He also had a career-high 12 broken up passes that season as well. In one of his best games of the year, against Boston College, Jones scored two touchdowns in a 35-28 win over the Eagles, one a 87-yard kick return and the other a 47-yard interception return. Jones also had a career-high 12 tackles against Miami. Jones totaled 98 punt return yards on 16 punt returns and 867 kick return yards, including an 87-yard touchdown return.

As a junior in 2004, he was the defensive secondary captain and led the team in tackles and interceptions. Jones also played briefly on offense, as well as returning punts and kick-offs for the second season. He was named first-team all-Big East as a defensive back and honorable mention All-American by several sources. He led the team with 76 tackles, also adding two sacks, three interceptions, and seven broken up passes. Jones was named to Collegefootballnews.com's All-American first-team and was named honorable mention All-American at kick returner. Jones was also named Big East Special Teams Player of the Year. His 76-yard punt return against East Carolina was his season-long return and only punt return for a touchdown in Jones' career. He even had a long touchdown run against UConn that was called back due to a penalty. Jones ended his career with a bad mark though, in the 2005 Gator Bowl, when he fumbled a kick return early in the game; the Mountaineers lost to Florida State.

Jones is ranked second on West Virginia's career kickoff return yardage list with 1,475 yards. He is also ranked eleventh on the school's career punt return yardage list with 404 yards, while his 10.92 yards per punt return is the sixth most in school history. Jones is one of the highest West Virginia players drafted. Jones and fellow-Mountaineer great Major Harris both wore the number #9 while playing in college.

[edit] Professional career

[edit] Tennessee Titans

After his junior year, Jones opted to forgo his senior year and declare eligible for the NFL Draft. He was the first defensive player drafted, taken sixth overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2005 NFL Draft.

He then missed most of training camp, holding out in a contract dispute. According to then-Titans general manager Floyd Reese, the Titans were concerned over several off-the-field incidents that happened immediately after the draft, as well as a fight that landed him on probation while he was at West Virginia. Reese said that contract talks broke down when Jones initially balked at the Titans' proposed safeguards, but agreed that he wouldn't be paid any guaranteed or bonus money if he were ever convicted of a crime.^[2]

During his rookie season, he had a total of 44 tackles and 10 pass deflections, but no interceptions. On special teams, Jones totaled 1,399 return yards and one TD. Jones and Reynaldo Hill made up the only rookie duo to start at least ten games each at cornerback in the NFL.

At the end of his sophomore season, Jones totaled career-high 62 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, 12 deflected passes, 4 interceptions, 130 return yards, one interception touchdown, 14 passes defended (second-team), 440 punt return yards and tied for NFL-high with three punt return touchdowns. The three punt returns also tied the franchise record with Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, which was set in 1975. His 12.9 yards per punt return average led the NFL, edging out Chicago's Devin Hester by a tenth of a yard, while his 26.1 yards per kick return average ranked him seventh in the league and sixth in the AFC. Jones also caught two passes on offense for 31 yards (one for 17 yards) and rushed twice for 8 yards. His best performance came against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 15, when Jones had an 83-yard interception return for a score, a 70-yard kick return, and broke up a touchdown pass to Matt Jones to save the game. Jones broke out in his fifth game of the season against the Indianapolis Colts, when he recorded a then personal season-high five tackles and defended a pass in the 14-13 loss. The very next week against the Washington Redskins, Jones recorded four tackles and stripped the ball from Antwaan Randle El for his first forced fumble of his career. The next week against Houston, Jones tied a career-high tackle total with eight, and picked off a Sage Rosenfels pass for his first career interception, and also posted his second touchdown on a punt return in his career in the fourth quarter with a 53-yard return. Two weeks later, against the Eagles, Jones recorded his second punt return for a score of the season, this one 90-yards, breaking Billy Johnson's 87-yard franchise record. The next week against the New York Giants, Jones picked off an Eli Manning pass in the fourth quarter that sparked the Titans' 21-point comeback. Against the New England Patriots in the last game of the season, Jones totaled 259 return yards (the NFL's highest total since 2006) along with a punt return score.

[edit] Suspension

Near the 2007 NFL Draft, Jones's numerous off-the-field problems led to speculation that the Titans would cut or trade Jones before his third season, despite his breakout second year. Reese himself said that he and others on the Titans had spent "countless hours" trying to set Jones straight. He also said that while Jones had been everything the Titans had hoped he would be on the field, he'd been "nothing but a disaster off the field" during his two years in Nashville.^[2]

On April 10, 2007, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced a one-year suspension for Jones, to be re-evaluated after the tenth regular-season game, pending disposition of current cases, which Jones appealed.^[3][4] Jones took out a full ad in The Tennessean, promising "he'll win back trust" of his teammates and fans." "To my family, teammates, coaches and fans, I recognize that I have lost the right to ask for your patience and understanding," Jones wrote. "However, I will do everything in my power to regain your trust and respect." Jones also wrote in the letter, his plans to re-enroll and finish his degree at West Virginia University. "The basis of the appeal … will be to clarify some of the facts and address the unprecedented punishment that was imposed," Jones wrote in the letter. However on June 12, Jones withdrew his appeal.

On November 5, 2007, it was reported that Jones would not be allowed to be reinstated during the 2007 season after meeting with Goodell. Tennessee running back LenDale White told The Tennessean that he thinks that "53 of 53" Titans' players would want Jones to return to the team. Quarterback Vince Young said, "We are going to do well without him, we can do well with him...".^[5] On December 13, 2007, the NFL agreed to hear the players' union's appeal on Jones's behalf. The players' union appealed Roger Goodell's decision to not allow Jones to be reinstated during the 2007 season.^[6]

On February 1, 2008, ESPN reported that that Goodell remained "disappointed" in Jones and that he would most likely not be reinstated after the Super Bowl. The NFL was to review Jones after the 2008 Pro Bowl.^[7] It was also reported that the Titans would try to trade Jones, if reinstated.^[8]

On March 8, 2008, Jones announced on a Tennessee radio station that he felt he was in "tip-top shape" and was ready to be reinstated. His agent also announced that they would consider applying for reinstatement before the 2008 NFL Draft. Jones also said on the radio show that he would like to play for the Dallas Cowboys, if the Titans were looking to trade him.^[9] The Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints also expressed interest in Jones. On March 30, Jones participated at a charity basketball event, where he then signed a football for a fan with the #21, later saying that he believed he would wear the number if he ended up in Dallas with the Cowboys.^[10] NFL Network correspondent Adam Schefter had also described the Tennessee–Dallas trade for Jones as being "imminent".^[11] On April 1, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that he would have a decision on reinstating Jones prior to training camp, presumably in July.^[12] However, the next day, reports said that the trade was being delayed due to the Cowboys denying the request to provide a fourth-round pick and a pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Also, disagreements let out over whether the Cowboys would reimburse the Titans for a bonus owed to Jones.^[13] However, Adam Schefter of NFL Network reported on April 13 that trade talks had restarted, with the Cowboys offering a sixth-round pick and the Titans requesting a fourth-round pick in the 2008 draft.^[14]

[edit] Dallas Cowboys

On April 23, 2008, ESPN reported that Jones had been traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. If Jones was reinstated for the 2008-2009 season, the Cowboys would also give their sixth-round pick to Tennessee in 2009; if not, the Titans would have to send their fourth-round pick to the Cowboys in 2009. Furthermore, if Jones was to be suspended again, the Titans would have to give their fifth-round pick to the Cowboys in 2009 and return the sixth-round pick to Dallas. Although the conditions clearly appeared to favor the Cowboys, the Titans organization made it clear that it would do whatever was needed to get him far away from their team.

According to ESPN, Jones also reached a financial settlement with the Titans regarding his contract situation. Jones agreed to pay $500,000 to a charity chosen by the Titans sometime in the next two years.^[15] Jones signed a four-year contract that included no signing bonus but included annual roster bonuses, and was structured in a way that would protect Dallas in the event that Jones made more off-field mistakes.

On April 24, Hall of Famer Jim Brown announced that he had offered his support and help to Jones while in Dallas. Former Cowboys teammates and NFL standouts Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders also both expressed a willingness to help the troubled cornerback.

On June 2, Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Jones that, effective immediately, he could participate in organized team activities with the Cowboys, including training camp and preseason games. On August 26, Jones was fully reinstated for the 2008 NFL season.^[16]

In the season opener for the Cowboys, a 28-10 victory against the Cleveland Browns, Jones recorded a tackle and a pass deflection. In the following 41-37 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jones recorded four tackles and a pass deflection. In a 27-16 victory over the Green Bay Packers, Jones led the Cowboys with eight tackles and a fumble recovery.

On October 8, Jones was involved in an altercation with his bodyguard in a Dallas hotel. According to ESPN, a police report was not filed and Jones' bodyguard opted not to press charges.^{[citation needed]} The Dallas Cowboys and a spokesman for the NFL had no comment on the situation.^{[citation needed]} In an ironic twist, Commissioner Goodell had stopped by the Cowboys practice facility early the following day as part of a routine visit to check up on the players. At the time of his visit, Goodell was unaware of the incident and only learned about it later that day.^{[citation needed]}

On October 14, 2008, Jones was suspended for a minimum of four games by the NFL due to the altercation, his latest in a long line of violations of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy.^[17] After his latest transgression off the field it was announced on October 16 that Jones would enter an alcohol rehab center.^[18] On November 19, 2008, Jones was reinstated in the NFL, but he would miss the following two games with Dallas.

Due to the suspension, the Titans give their fifth-round pick to the Cowboys in 2009 and returned the sixth-round pick to Dallas, as stipulated in terms of the trade.^[19]

Jones finally returned from suspension and played in Dallas' game against Pittsburgh on December 7. He suffered a neck injury; he continued to play in the game, but later in the week, news reports indicated that the injury was more severe than first believed, and could be a season-ending or even career-ending injury for Jones.^[20] On December 10, 2008, the Cowboys announced that Jones would probably be out for the rest of the season.^[21] However, he returned to play in the Cowboys' final game of the season, a 44-6 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles.

On January 7, 2009, the Cowboys announced they would release Jones. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, the move came after Cowboys officials learned that Jones was a suspect in a June 2007 shooting outside a strip club in Las Vegas; Jones was alleged to have ordered the shooting after a dispute with one of the men. Due to NFL rules which bar major player transactions until after the Super Bowl, the Cowboys did not officially cut ties with Jones until February 9, 2009.^[22]

[edit] Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Jones agreed in principle to a one– year deal to play with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.^{[23][24][25][26]} However, the Blue Bombers announced on September 2 that they were no longer going to pursue Jones after Jones made some remarks on an internet video including calling the league the United Football League when it is in fact the Canadian Football League.^[27][28]

[edit] Professional wrestling

Adam "Pacman" Jones
Jones in TNA's Impact! Zone
Ring name(s)	Adam "Pacman" Jones
Billed height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Billed weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
Born	September 30, 1983 (1983-09-30) (age 26)
Debut	August 12, 2007
Retired	October 15, 2007

On July 30, 2007, it was reported that Jones was working on a deal with the professional wrestling promotion, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and since he had a one-year suspension from the NFL, he had more time on his hands to pursue other interests.^[29] As the news circulated, Titan's coach Jeff Fisher stated that his football contract could preclude him from actually wrestling with the company,^[30] but negotiations continued for a non wrestling role.^[31] On August 6, TNA confirmed through their website that a deal had been signed,^[32] and afterwards interviews with Jones and Jeff Jarrett, one of TNA's Vice Presidents, indicated that he did intend to wrestle, primarily as part of a tag team.^[33][34]

After some legal wrangling, it was agreed that Jones could appear for the company, but in a non-physical role only. During his time there, he was placed into a tag team known as Team Pacman with Ron "The Truth" Killings and held the company's World Tag Team Championship by defeating Sting and Kurt Angle. Since he was not allowed to appear in the ring, eventually a third man, Rasheed Lucius "Consequences" Creed, was added to the group in order to wrestle for Jones.

His contract expired on October 15 and TNA chose not to renew it, resulting in Jones being "forced to retire" from wrestling.^[35]

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
  • TNA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ron Killings

[edit] Music career

Also during his 2007 NFL exile, Jones announced that he would be collaborating on a new hip hop album with his new hip-hop group, Posterboyz.^[36] After the announcement was made an NFL spokesman let it be known that the NFL was looking into whether the name of Jones' record label, National Street League Records, infringed on the National Football League trademark.^[37] Jones' group, Posterboyz, released their first & only single so far, "Let it Shine," through a MySpace page.^[38]

[edit] Legal troubles

On July 14, 2005 Jones was arrested on charges of assault and felony vandalism stemming from a nightclub altercation. On September 5, 2005, Jones was a guest at the annual Nashville Sports Council Kickoff Luncheon. After a loud verbal tantrum in which he was told to wait in line for his vehicle later that evening, Jones was counseled by the police. He also refused to pay for any valet services used that evening, because he didn't have money at the time. In October 2005, in a petition filed by the State of West Virginia, it was alleged that Jones had not made regular and sufficient contact with his probation officer and that he did not report his July arrest in Nashville in a timely fashion. The court ordered the probation extended for a period of 90 days, although the state requested it to be extended one year.

On August 25, 2006, Jones was arrested in Murfreesboro, Tennessee for disorderly conduct and public intoxication after claiming that a woman stole his wallet. She claimed that she did not steal anything and Jones spat on her. Police officers said they ordered Jones to leave several times, but he refused, continuing to shout profanities at the woman. A judge granted him six months probation on the conditions that he stays out of further trouble and away from the nightclub.^[39] On October 26, 2006. Jones was cited for misdemeanor assault for allegedly spitting in the face of a female student from Tennessee State University during a private party at Club Mystic, a Nashville nightclub. He was suspended by the Titans for one game and was scheduled to be booked on the charge on November 17, 2006.

Jones also is set to appear in a Fayetteville, Georgia court in 2007 for his February 2006 incident on subpoenas for felony and misdemeanor obstruction of justice charges for an incident outside a home. The charges of marijuana possession in the same state were dismissed.^[40]

On May 7, 2007, Jones was stopped at 12:45 a.m. on Interstate 65 heading into downtown after an officer clocked him on radar at 79 mph (127 km/h) in a 55 mph (89 km/h) zone. Jones was driving his red 2004 Cadillac XLR Roadster which he won back at police auction last fall. According to a report in the Nashville City Paper, police had seized the Cadillac—a car with Jones' nickname "Pacman" stitched in the headrests—in an April 2006 cocaine bust. The car was not registered to Jones then, but Jones told a local TV reporter he had loaned the Cadillac to Darryl Jerome Moore for a music video. Police called Darryl Jerome Moore who had the car the main target of their investigation.^[41]

On June 18, 2007, Jones was sought by police for questioning after a shooting at an Atlanta strip club allegedly involved members of his entourage. According to police at the scene, Jones was not present during the shooting, and is not being charged.^[42]

Jones was suspended from the NFL for the entire 2007 season for off-the-field conduct.^[43] During his suspension Jones signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, despite an agreement between TNA and the Titans organization that he would only have a "non-physical" role in the company,^[44] and went on to the TNA World Tag Team Championship with Ron Killings. He also established a record label, "National Street League Records", and performed as one half of the rap duo Posterboyz.^[37]

[edit] Las Vegas shooting case

On the morning of February 19, 2007, during the 2007 NBA All-Star Game weekend in Las Vegas, Jones is alleged to have been involved in an altercation with an exotic dancer at Minxx, a local strip club. Jones and American rap artist Nelly patronized the club on the evening in question. Nelly, along with someone known only as Richard Rich, began to shower the stage with hundreds of one-dollar bills; an act known as "making it rain." Jones then joined Nelly by throwing his own money for "visual effect." Club promoter Chris Mitchell then directed his dancers to collect the money. According to the club's co-owner, Jones became enraged when one of the dancers began taking the money without his permission. He allegedly grabbed her by her hair and slammed her head on the stage. A security guard intervened and scuffled with members of Jones' entourage of half a dozen people. Jones then allegedly threatened the guard's life.^[45] During this time, Mitchell and a male associate left the club with a garbage bag filled with $81,020 and two Breitling watches, which police later recovered.^[46]

After club patrons left following the original confrontation, the club owner claimed a person in Jones' entourage returned with a gun and fired into a crowd, damaging equipment and hitting three people, including the security guard involved in the earlier skirmish. The guard was shot twice, and one of the people hit—former professional wrestler Tommy Urbanski—was paralyzed from the waist down. Jones maintains that he did not know the shooter, although the club's owner insists that Jones did. On March 26, 2007, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recommended to the city's district attorney that Jones be charged with one count of felony coercion as well as one misdemeanor count of battery and one misdemeanor count of threat to life.^[47]

More trouble followed Jones after the altercation, when drug dealer Darryl Moore reported to the police, after being busted during a deal, about his phone conversations with Jones. "We gotta slow down, man. We gotta get him focused on football, man." Moore is alleged to have said. Wiretapped phone conversations between Moore and his friends revealed Moore talking about how Jones bet on college games to earn quick money. "You know, I was talkin' to him the other day about smokin', and he was like 'man, if I didn't smoke I couldn't take all the stress that I'm dealing with right now,'" Moore said.^[48] Jones has not been connected to the Moore drug arrests or convicted for the Vegas stripper incident.

On June 20, 2007, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Clark County District Attorney's office announced that Jones would face two felony charges stemming from the strip club melee.^[49] But on November 13, 2007, Jones accepted a plea deal;^[50] on Dec. 6, Jones pleaded no contest to one charge of conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. He was given a suspended prison sentence of one year, probation, and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.^[51]

On June 25, 2007, Tommy Urbanski and his wife Kathy sued Jones in civil court, claiming that Jones had bitten his left ankle, and was responsible for the shooting.^[52] The lawsuit also named the Tennessee Titans franchise and the NFL as defendants, on the grounds that Jones' employers knew of his erratic behavior prior to the Minxx incident, but did not suspend him until afterwards. Had the Titans suspended Jones prior to the NBA All-Star game, the suit argues, he would not have been invited to the Las Vegas events, and the incident would not have taken place.^[53]

On April 21, a document revealed that Jones paid $15,000 to various people involved in the Las Vegas shooting.^[54]

[edit] Effect on NFL career

On April 3, 2007, Jones met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his future. On April 10, the NFL announced that Jones would be suspended for the entire 2007 season, a suspension not assessed a player in 44 years (for reasons other than substance abuse) since Paul Hornung and Alex Karras were each suspended for one season for gambling. Jones would not be paid during the suspension and that it would be subject to additional review after the tenth regular season game, pending disposition of pending charges. His suspension also came with a stern warning that future misconduct might result in the end of his NFL career.

In anticipation of Jones' suspension, Nick Harper was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Titans. The Titans could have sought repayment of the approximately $1.9 million in signing bonus money due Jones in 2007. The suspension carried no guarantee of reinstatement after it has been completed.

On April 14, Jones announced that he would appeal the suspension set by Goodell. However, since Goodell also heard appeals, the chances of winning any reduction in the suspension were extremely slim. Jones later dropped his appeal on June 12.

On August 13, 2007, regarding the February Las Vegas strip club incident, Jones told Bryant Gumbel of HBO Sports' Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel that he was innocent and had never hit the stripper or told anyone he was going to kill them. When asked about friend and convicted drug dealer Darryl Moore, Jones said that he didn't know Moore was a drug dealer and felt surprised and betrayed. Jones also said he didn't think he got a fair say in his April meeting with Goodell.^[55]

After ten games in the 2007 season, Roger Goodell reviewed his decision, but ultimately declined to reduce it in any way. Following this announcement, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) said that it would appeal Jones' suspension.^[56]

On January 15, 2008, Jones was accused of hitting a woman in a strip club in Atlanta, Georgia on the morning of January 3. The woman, Wanda S. Jackson, was seeking an arrest warrant.^[57] However, on January 16, Jackson withdrew the warrant.

On June 21, 2008, the Associated Press reported Jones' $1.5 million home was in foreclosure. The home and 30 acres (120,000 m²), located in a Nashville suburb, was to be sold June 27 on the steps of the old Williamson County Courthouse.^[58]

On August 28, 2008, sources indicated that Jones was to be fully reinstated by Goodell.^[59] However, on October 13, Goodell suspended Adam "Pacman" Jones indefinitely for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Jones was involved in an alcohol-related scuffle with one of his bodyguards at a private party in Dallas on Oct. 7. The league said the Dallas Cowboys cornerback will miss the next four games, and Goodell will determine the final length of the suspension after the Cowboys' game in Washington on November 16. In a letter to Jones, Goodell called the latest incident the continuation of "a disturbing pattern of behavior and clearly inconsistent with the conditions I set for your continued participation in the NFL."

On Wednesday, November 19, 2008, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the suspended cornerback would be reinstated by league commissioner Roger Goodell, but he would miss two more games — Sunday, November 23, 2008 and the following game on Thanksgiving, November 27, 2008. He would be back December 7, 2008 at Pittsburgh. This decision meant it would be a six-game suspension. By the time he would return, he would have been suspended from 22 of a possible 28 games.^[60]

[edit] Nickname

His nickname "Pacman" is used much more often than his true first name, Adam, including by broadcasters and official Web sites connected to the NFL. It was even represented by a "P" on the back of his Titans jersey. In Blitz: The League 2 a player in the game named Packrat James is a direct reference to Jones's nickname.

He has had the nickname all his life; his mother gave it to him when he was a young child, saying that he would drink his milk as fast as the video game character Pac-Man. In June 2008, Jones decided that he now only wants to be known as "Adam Jones" or "Mr. Jones," in an attempt to separate himself from his troubled past.^[61] Following Jones' suspension in October, 2008, then-ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, in the "Parting Shots" segment of The Sports Reporters, chided Jones for setting a bad example for youth, and made a point of calling him "Pac-Man" several times.

[edit] Personal life

[edit] Philanthropy

After Jones had signed with the Titans, he donated money to the 100 Club, a charity that financially supports the families of firefighters, police, and emergency workers. Also in 2005, Jones traveled to Pearl Cohn High School in Nashville, Tennessee to help the school after one of its football players died in a car crash that also injured others on the team. Jones reached out to them during the season, making at least two trips to encourage the team. Additionally, Jones donated money so Nashville firefighters and police officers could get new uniforms.

[edit] Career statistics

DEFENSE

RETURNS

[edit] See also

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Adam Jones (American football)

• National Football League player conduct controversy

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Tennessee Titans bio
• Pacman Jones at the Internet Movie Database