Dallas Cowboys running back Ronald Jones was suspended two games Monday for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, though he later wrote on Twitter that he’d never knowingly violate the league’s rules.
The suspension takes effect on Sept. 3, and Jones would be eligible to return on Sept. 18 after the Cowboys’ Week 2 game against the Jets.
“I love this game and would never cheat it,” Jones wrote. “I would never knowingly take a banned substance. I will continue to work with my team to investigate how this happened so that it never happens again.”
It was his first tweet since Feb. 14.
Jones can reportedly continue to practice and appear in preseason games despite the suspension.
The Cowboys signed Jones to a one-year contract in March after he totaled just 17 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown last season for the Kansa City Chiefs.
In the four seasons prior to that, Jones appeared in 55 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while compiling 2,174 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
Jones’ best career season came in 2020 when he had 978 yards and seven touchdowns for Tampa Bay on its way to a Super Bowl.
Tony Pollard is Dallas’ top running back option entering the upcoming season, but the Cowboys don’t have much experience on their roster behind Pollard and Jones.
Malik Davis, Rico Dowdle, and sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn are the team’s other options on the 90-man roster.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy seemed confident in the options he had outside of Jones when he spoke with reporters on Monday, though.
“I tell you, I’m loving Rico,” McCarthy said, according to ESPN. “It’s great to have him back. Malik, he’s taken that jump that you’re looking for. Those two guys have really jumped out. Obviously, we’ve got to get Deuce involved. I think that’s important … He’s a guy that was on my mind during the summer.”
