Titanic blunder
INDIANAPOLIS – Adam “Pacman” Jones, entangled in a triple shooting at a Las Vegas strip club, might not be on the Tennessee Titans’ roster next season.
Mike Reinfeldt, the team’s new general manager, was asked at the NFL Combine about Jones’ status after reports of the cornerback’s involvement in the mayhem. He replied: “I would assume there is that potential.”
The Titans have declined to comment on Monday’s episode and coach Jeff Fisher tried to avoid questions on Jones by starting with an explanation of why he couldn’t comment.
Jones, who is under contract through 2009, has not been charged in connection with the shootings that left one man paralyzed. But police seized more than $81,000 in bills that they say belongs to Jones and sparked the melee and the shooting.
Jones was showering more than 40 strippers onstage early Monday with cash “intended as a visual effect,” a search warrant said. But a scuffle broke out when the Houston promoter who hired the strippers told them to pick up the money.
The promoter, identified as Chris Mitchell, and a male associate took a plastic trash bag containing Jones’ money and walked out the front door, the warrant says. Police recovered the money and two watches inside a safe at Mitchell’s hotel room Monday.
Club co-owner Robert Susnar has said the gunman arrived with and left with Jones and his party.
Jones was questioned late Monday night by Las Vegas police. His attorney, Worrick Robinson of Nashville, said he is not a suspect. Jones was allowed to leave Las Vegas on Tuesday but has hired attorney Manny Arora of the Atlanta law firm of Garland, Samuel and Loeb, P.C. as his lead counsel.
That firm has represented several high-profile athletes, including Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in 2000.
Fisher said he has not talked with Jones, and the Titans are leaving the investigation to Las Vegas police. This is the eighth time Jones has at least been interviewed by police since the Titans drafted him with the sixth pick overall in 2005.
“There have been numerous incidents, but once we’re able to gather the facts on this one, we’ll be able to address his future and those other types of things,” Fisher said.
Criminal charges have been lodged against Jones three times over nightclub altercations. Charges were dismissed in two of the cases, but in the third, Jones was ordered to stay out of trouble until July 5 if he wants his criminal record cleared of public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges.
Jones led the NFL in punt returns last season and tied a franchise record with three returned for touchdowns. He also is the Titans’ best cornerback.
The latest altercation has forced the Titans to spend crucial time discussing Jones and less time on the draft picks and players they are evaluating at the combine.