After nine colorful seasons playing in the NFL and spending six years with the Cincinnati Bengals, cornerback Adam Jones was voted a team captain.
This is indeed a huge honor for Jones who already assumes the role of a team leader, both in practices and in the locker room.
“That’s pretty cool,” said Jones of the vote of his teammates, per Geoff Hobson of the team’s official website. “I was very eager when I heard the news … It shows the work I’ve put in and the respect I have in the locker room.”
According to the report, this is the first time Jones earned captain honors since he attended high school in Atlanta.
Jones now joins quarterback Andy Dalton, left tackle Andrew Whitworth and nose tackle Domata Peko in sporting the letter “C.”
While Jones soaks in the news and the Bengals all celebrate, we can be sure this announcement is a bit shocking to others. Jones’ boisterous, and at times excessively harsh behavior on the field does not exactly display peace and harmony.
Just ask Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper. Last September Jones ripped off Cooper’s helmet then smashed his head into it. Talk about hazing a rookie from another team.
Then, there was the incident in last season’s wild card playoff game when Jones unleashed his wrath on the referees and a Pittsburgh coach. That led to a personal foul penalty, which played a role in Cincinnati’s meltdown.
These are just a couple of examples of Jones’ questionable behavior. Off the field, he’s been suspended multiple times for equally questionable behavior.
Nevertheless, Jones has apparently earned his own teammates’ respect.