One week from today, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones will be an unrestricted free agent and he made it clear Tuesday in an interview on PFT Live on NBC Sports Radio and NBCSN that while he isn’t totally against playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he’d much rather sign with a team who will play against them.
“Would I play for the Steelers? I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t play for the Steelers. I don’t have no problem with the Steelers but that would be hard for me to do that though,” said Jones, who will turn 33 during the 2016 season. “I would prefer to play [for] a team that play against the Steelers.”
Well, isn’t that funny. Jones doesn’t have to worry about playing in Pittsburgh as there’s no way the Steelers would sign him as he just isn’t the kind of player they pursue during free agency and not only because of his age, but his character both on and off the field as well.
Jones, as many of you should know, is essentially half responsible for the Bengals losing to the Steelers in last year’s AFC Wild Card game thanks to him going after Pittsburgh linebackers coach Joey Porter following teammate Vontaze Burfict being penalized 15-yards for illegally hitting Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown in the head late in the contest. Jones’ failure to keep his composure resulted in another 15-yard penalty which easily set the Steelers up for their game-winning field goal.
Immediately after the Steelers beat the Bengals, Jones took to Instagram and said in a video that not only did he believe that the hit by Burfict on Brown was legal, but that the Steelers wide receiver was faking his injury as well.
While Jones eventually apologized to Brown in an Instagram video after the Steelers wide receiver failed to play against the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round of the playoffs because of a concussion, there still seemed to be some animosity on Brown’s end. However, during his Tuesday interview, Jones indicated that he’s since buried the hatchet with Brown.
“Oh yeah, man. We cool,” said Jones on his current relationship with Brown. “I have no problem with A.B.”
Jones was then asked if he texted Brown during the Oscars Sunday night in order to ask him why he wasn’t in attendance being as he had accused the wide receiver of acting in the playoff game.
“No, I texted him the other day joking with him, though,” said Jones. “We’ve had several conversations since he had his little outburst at the Super Bowl, but there’s no hard feelings for A.B., man.”
