Aug 28, 2008 1:36 pm US/Eastern
NFL Reinstates Dallas Cowboy Adam 'Pacman' Jones
RVING, Texas (CBS) ―
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Adam "Pacman" Jones participates in a practice during the Dallas Cowboys' football minicamp at the NFL team's training facility Wednesday, June 11, 2008, in Irving, Texas.
AP
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam 'Pacman' Jones has been reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to play the entire 2008 season, reports CBS station KTVT-TV in Dallas.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones responded to the news by saying, "This is another step in the process."
Jones said, "I am very grateful for this opportunity, and I understand my responsibilities to the Dallas Cowboys and the National Football League. Right now, I just want to keep working hard so I can accomplish the goals that I have set for myself both on and off the field."
Earlier this month Jones had sent a letter to Goodell asking for reinstatement.
Jones was an elite cornerback and kick returner in his first two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, but an accumulation of arrests and legal problems -- including his connection to a shooting at a Las Vegas strip club -- led to his suspension without pay on April 10, 2007.
More trouble followed, including felony charges related to the strip club shooting, which left a bouncer paralyzed. Recent revelations include extortion payments to the alleged shooter, whom Jones helped police apprehend, and a $20,000 debt repaid to a Las Vegas casino after a felony theft warrant was threatened.
The Cowboys traded draft picks for Jones in April and gave him a restructured contract that minimizes their risk.
"Adam has worked hard to get to this point, but he also knows that there is still a lot of work ahead of him," Jones explained. "He is fully aware of the opportunity that he has been given, and he knows that this is an ongoing process."
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