Suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones has signed a contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and makes his in-ring debut on Thursday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, the company said Monday.
Jones’ first in-ring appearance will be for its iMPACT! show on Spike TV, TNA said. He also will appear in a pay-per-view show Sunday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.
TNA spokesman Steven Godfrey said officials could not comment on whether Jones actually will wrestle.
“But he will be involved in a story line,” Godfrey said.
Jones’ NFL contract prohibits non-football activities that could cause injury, and his agent said last week that he had talked with the Titans about his plans with TNA.
The Titans were on the field Monday morning, and coach Jeff Fisher couldn’t immediately be contacted for reaction. Titans chief operating officer Steve Underwood didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Jones was suspended in April for the 2007 season by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for conduct detrimental to the league. He dropped his appeal of that punishment in June.
Jones’ bid to join the Titans in training camp was denied by the NFL on July 26. His case will reviewed after the Titans’ 10th game, which is Nov. 19.
Wrestler Jeff Jarrett, who co-founded TNA, said he has been working to train Jones to work in the ring, and other TNA pros will be training Jones at his home south of Nashville. Jarrett said the world will see a different side of Jones that hasn’t been seen before.