Pacman on thin ice despite NFL reinstatement

When the NFL reinstated Adam “Pacman” Jones from his latest “indefinite” suspension last Thursday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones noted that “he’s a long way from having clear sailing”.  New reports have indicated that Jones wasn’t just throwing around metaphors—according to sources close to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Pacman has no margin for error whatsoever.  More specifically, any future offense or deviation from the prescribed aftercare treatment and counseling program mandated by the NFL would result in a lifetime ban.

This is Pacman’s second “second chance” from the league after he was suspended for the entire 2007 season for his off field behavior.  He was acquired by the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason, and the NFL agreed to give him another chance convinced in part by the team’s assignment of a “security detail” to follow Pacman around and presumably keep him out of trouble.  Ironically, it was that “security detail” that precipitated his latest “indefinite” suspension by the league—Pacman got into a drunken scuffle with one of his bodyguards at a Dallas area strip club.  The NFL took a dim view of Pacman’s choice of leisure time activities and swung the hammer.

Goodell has made to clear to Pacman that he must walk the straight and narrow from here on out should he want to continue his professional football career.  Not only will any future off field malfeasance trigger the lifetime ban, but so will any deviation from the NFL approved outpatient rehab and counseling program.  Goodell isn’t messing around with his threat of a “lifetime ban”—according to some reports Pacman will get the ax for something as relatively minor as a missed counseling appointment.

By all accounts Goodell was ready to leave Pacman suspended indefinitely but was convinced by a number of clinical specialists who were supervising his inpatient rehab treatment.  Goodell agreed to reinstate Pacman after requiring him to miss two additional games.  He’ll be eligible to return on December 7, when Dallas plays the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Upon announcing his reinstatement, Goodell stipulated that he’d be allowed to continue playing in the NFL:

“if he avoids any further incidents and fully complies with each and every condition that has been established for him."

Assuming Pacman is ready to go on December 7th, he’ll have missed 22 of the past 28 games due to suspension.  When Jones was reinstated his attorney observed that "It all starts with him and his decision-making. He's comfortable making decisions for himself."  These decisions better be good ones, or else the NFL career of Pacman Jones is likely to be over.