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After 17 months of waiting in limbo for commissioner Roger Goodell to make a decision Adam Jones the cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys received word that he would be fully reinstated into the NFL and can fully participate in all team functions.

Jones was suspended into 2007 following a number of run-ins with police, one which resulted in a man being shot and paralyzed at a Las Vegas strip club. In all Jones has been arrested six times and involved in a dozen incidents total that required police involvement since he was drafted by the Titans in the first round of the 2005 draft.

As expected his teammates and friends sent him numerous congratulatory text messages and phone calls. But, no one was happier with the good news then Jones who let out a celebratory shout, followed by a phone call to his mother to let her in on the good news.

When asked what he could do to avoid future incidents Jones stated, “surrounding myself around the right people and staying out of gentlemen’s clubs, having a great relationship with God and spending more time with my family.”

For his part Goodell had stated through a league offical that he would not comment further on the reinstatement.

Jones will most likely play in the nickel and dime packages and could see some work as a return man on special teams. He played in the first  three preseason games, and started the third at left corner in place of injured Pro Bowler Terence newman, rookie Mike Jenkins had started the first two games. During that time Jones made 8 tackles and had one pass deflection. He also looked rusty times overunning some routes and looking unfimiliar in Dallas’ zone schemes.

Jones also had punt returns of 18 and 24 yards during that soan, and Cowboy’s coach Wade Phillips has stated that he may be used in the same position during the regular seasons especially considering the injuries the Cowboys have suffered to return men Austin Miles, and Isiah Stanback.

I for one am all for second chances, but I have to be honest when I say that if Adam Jones was just some run of the mill football player who could easily be replaced there is no chance in hell that he would have been reinstated. Basically I feel that by passing this decision down what the NFL has said is that if you are talented enough then any off the field transgressions no matter how long the list may be will essentially go unpunished. I understand that Jones did serve a lengthy suspension, but we are talking about a player who in just 2 years in the league had 12 run-ins with police. That’s six a year, if I was in trouble that much with the police I think it would be safe to say i wouldn’t be suspended from my job I’d be fired.

Either way, it’s now up to Jones to prove to the rest of us that this “turn around” is sincere and that his desire to play in the NFL outweighs all other things Only then will I believe the NFL made a good decision.