Cowboys release troubled Pacman Jones

The Dallas Cowboys released Adam “Pacman” Jones on Monday, and the troubled cornerback is now a free agent.  It wasn’t a surprise that he was jettisoned by the Cowboys, as they indicated last month that they planned to cut ties with “Pacman”.  Monday was the first day that NFL teams could make waiver requests, and the Cowboys’ brass wasted no time in swinging the axe.

Before coming to Dallas, “Pacman” was arrested six times and involved in twelve other incidents requiring police intervention.  His biggest legal snafu stemmed from a 2007 incident in a Las Vegas strip club where he assaulted a female dancer.  Later, a Jones associate allegedly drove by and shot up the front door of the club, with one of the bullets hitting a bouncer who is now paralyzed.  ESPN recently reported that “Pacman” was involved in another strip club shooting, this time in Atlanta.

During the 2008 season, “Pacman” managed to make it half way through without causing trouble before he was arrested in October for a scuffle in a strip club with his own bodyguard that the Cowboys had hired to keep him out of trouble.  After the incident, “Pacman” did what any good celebrity would do and blamed his issues on alcohol abuse before heading off to rehab.  Jones was again suspended by the NFL over the incident but reinstated near the end of the season with the proviso that he maintains a number of stringent league imposed conditions related to his alcohol rehab aftercare. 

At this point it remains unclear if anyone will take a chance on Jones, though he is—for the time being at least—eligible to play in the NFL.  In addition to no longer having to deal with his behavioral issues, the Cowboys will save $1 million (US) under the NFL salary cap with the waiver.  As he had no guaranteed money in his contract with Dallas, the team owes Jones nothing as a result of the roster move.  Neither Jones nor his attorney have commented on the release as of yet.