IRVING, Texas - That NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Adam "Pacman" Jones after serving a 16-month suspension on Thursday was cause for a small celebration, emphasis on small.
Jones said he received the news while he was getting out of his car in a restaurant parking lot Thursday afternoon prior to the Cowboys' final preseason game here at Texas Stadium with the Minnesota Vikings "and I screamed," he said.
"This is what I wanted; always wanted to be part of the Star."
But with a certain amount of clarity, Jones said he does not consider his reinstatement from suspension for repeated violations of the league's personal conduct policy an accomplishment, but rather just a step in the right direction to repair not only his life, but an NFL career put on temporary hold after just two full seasons in the league.
Rehearsed or sincere, certainly that is exactly what Goodell wanted to hear from a player in need of continued squeaky-clean behavior and conformity to the guidelines set forth by the NFL after he was suspended in April of 2007 while with the Tennessee Titans.
"This is the next step in the process," said Jones, who was one of the 28 players the Cowboys held out of Thursday night's game. "I've been waiting for this time for a long time. It's not like we've won the Super Bowl or anything. I know my responsibilities of being a player in the NFL. I'm going to hold my own and do what I need to do right now, which is stay reinstated."
The Cowboys also took a rather understated approach to the news they were hoping to receive prior to Saturday's 3 p.m. (CDT) deadline to reduce NFL rosters to 53. This decision will impact how many cornerbacks they ultimately keep, now knowing Jones will be with them for the Sept. 7 season opener in Cleveland.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones all along remained quite neutral when answering questions about Adam Jones' status and when Goodell might finally rule. As Jerry Jones would say, he was never "presumptuous" of the end result or the timing of the decision.
But Jerry Jones did concur with Adam Jones, saying the ruling brings no amount of finality to this saga.
"Logically, I thought we had a chance but was never presumptuous about what the commissioner's decision would be," Jerry Jones said. "But the thing I really want to emphasize is I really don't look at this as but another step, and frankly I don't even put it in an accomplishment category for him . . .
"But this is a nice, not a baby step, but a little bit of a step as we move along here. We all know, when things start going good for you - you not only have to deal with failure but you have to deal with success and handle both of those."
The announcement ended the suspense for Adam Jones, the Cowboys and even Tennessee, too, which still has a vested interest in the previously-suspended cornerback being eligible to play in all 16 games this season.
The announcement also ended the suspense for Adam Jones' new teammates, who embraced him the minute he was granted partial reinstatement, allowing him to not only begin working out with the team in the off-season, but also participate in training camp and the preseason games.
Adam Jones said it wasn't long before his phone started lighting up, mostly caused by his new teammates.
"It's a great group of teammates," Adam Jones said. "If you look at my phone, 90 percent of my teammates texted me with like, 'Hey man, congratulations . . . we're glad you're back. Let's go now. This is a stepping stone. Let's make it happen.'
"My teammates are great. I thank them for the support. I also thank Jerry (Jones). Hands down, he really helped me out a lot."
The Cowboys, as an organization, have worked diligently with Jones to give him every chance to meet all the stipulations Goodell wanted him to follow ever since being suspended in April of 2007 for repeated violations of the league's newly-instituted personal conduct guidelines for players.
Plus, Adam Jones likely had added incentive to adhere to these stipulations since being suspended without pay has caused him some financial hardships, having to sell one of his houses in the Nashville, Tenn., area and having another foreclosed upon.
All along, the Cowboys were counting on hearing something from the commissioner before Sept. 1, as Goodell outlined during a summer visit to Dallas for a speaking engagement at a luncheon. And with the NFL's final cuts coming down at 3 p.m. (CDT) Saturday, it only made sense Goodell's ruling was imminent.
"Adam has worked hard to get to this point, but he also knows that there is still a lot of work ahead of him," Jerry Jones said. "He is fully aware of the opportunity that he has been given, and he knows that this is an ongoing process."
The Cowboys sent a fourth-round draft choice this year to Tennessee for the then-suspended Adam Jones' rights, and have agreed to also send a sixth-round pick next year to the Titans if Jones remains eligible to play in all 16 games this year. But if Jones should miss even one game during the 2008 season for NFL disciplinary reasons, and that would have included this year's opener if his suspension had been extended even for the Cleveland game, the Titans will have to return a fifth-round pick to the Cowboys in 2009.
Most of all, though, the Cowboys can now go about making their plans for the 2008 season, knowing Adam Jones will be available to play. For now, Jones likely will be returning punts and coming in on the nickel defense at right cornerback when starter Anthony Henry moves inside into the slot over the tight end. There also is a possibility, with injuries to Miles Austin and Isaiah Stanback, of Jones starting off the season returning kickoffs.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, previously hesitant to insert Adam Jones or Felix Jones on kickoff returns for fear of injury to two prominent players, says he is rethinking his options with his top two return men likely missing the Cleveland game.
"We're certainly gratified that Adam Jones is going to be with us," Phillips said after the Cowboys won their final preseason game ever to be played at Texas Stadium, beating the Vikings, 16-10, while playing nearly all the backups. "I was hoping for that and I think we planned that way. But it always could have been different.
"We are glad to have him."
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Mickey Spagnola - 
