NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones used words like misunderstood, gamebreaker, risk taker and redemption Thursday night in his first appearance under his new wrestling contract.
He didn’t mention suspension.
The only NFL player suspended for the 2007 season by commissioner Roger Goodell made his wrestling debut on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling’s weekly show “iMPACT!” on Spike TV, and the 5-year-old company teased Jones’ appearance early and often.
All of the hourlong show was prerecorded, including Jones’ own appearance. Only four minutes in, they called Jones “the most controversial figure in sports.” Jones, whose suspension isn’t scheduled for review until after Nov. 19, showed up in a video tease six minutes later.
“You don’t know me … Nobody knows me … misunderstood. Nobody knows who I am. A player, a gamebreaker, a risk taker, a man,” Jones said in the background while he was shown posing and shadow-boxing in a darkened wrestling ring.
“I am just me. Pacman is coming to ‘Hard Justice.’ Pacman is coming to TNA.”
The “Hard Justice” pay-per-view on Sunday night will be televised live from Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. That’s when TNA said Jones will “reveal all details of his career on TNA.”
TNA replayed the Jones’ video 30 minutes later after announcers talked about media credential requests coming in from around the world to cover the event.
TNA offered Jones a contract, promising help rehabilitating his image while barred from working at his day job in the NFL. The show offered Jones and TNA better control of the emotional cornerback than a TV appearance teasing his wrestling foray earlier Thursday.
Earlier Thursday, Jones teased his appearance with an interview on ESPN2’s “First Take,” in which he disputed reports of how many times he has been arrested.
“Everybody keeps saying I’ve been arrested six times,” Jones said.
“I haven’t been arrested six times. I’ve only been arrested twice. I’ve been accused and people have put warrants out on me numerous other times, but as of today I’m on no probation, I haven’t been charged with anything, so I’m just keeping my head up and make sure I’m doing everything to make sure I’m all right with myself.”
Police records for various incidents in Tennessee and Georgia show five different arrests.
His sixth arrest came in June when he was booked by Las Vegas police in the most serious case. He is under indictment there on two felony counts of coercion stemming from a February fight at a strip club that left a bouncer, a former wrestler himself, paralyzed.
He confirmed Thursday he will be professionally wrestling during his suspension and defended his decision while sitting in front of a wrestling ring set up next to his home south of Nashville.
“I don’t know what you all want me to do. Just sit in the house and be miserable all day? I can’t do that. I have to keep my spirits up high. I have a whole family to take care of,” he said.
Wrestling, especially if Jones were injured, could violate his Titans contract. Jones said he didn’t plan on getting hurt.
Jones also told ESPN2 that he visited a strip club the night before a hearing with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York in April. Jones said he went in to get something to eat and that was what he told Goodell.
“If I could do anything different, I wouldn’t have went and gotten nothing to eat, then. There wasn’t even no girls in there,” he said with a smile.
Jones said in that interview he has stayed in contact with his Titans’ teammates, busy in training camp. Linebacker Keith Bulluck said after practice Thursday he wouldn’t record Jones’ wrestling debut because he would be busy in a meeting.
But Jones remains hopeful Goodell will ease his suspension and said he is doing everything he was asked, including counseling classes.
“Hopefully, I can get back a couple games early if Goodell is listening to this. All I can do is keep my prayers up and do what he asks me to do,” Jones said.
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