Cowboys News: Jones Explains Greg Ellis' Contract Adjustment

Written By Mickey Spagnola of Dallas  Cowboys.com

IRVING, Texas - That Jerry Jones had to make an ever-so-slight adjustment to Greg Ellis' contract to get him back on the field this weekend did not rankle the Cowboys owner one bit.

During his weekly Tuesday morning radio segment on SportsRadio 1310, Jones said the slight adjustment arose from an insurance policy Ellis had bought to protect himself against the possibility of his torn Achilles being a career-ending injury.

"This was not a conventional redo on a contract," Jones said. "Greg had an insurance policy that had some pretty tight terms in there, that should he come back and play, when he came back and played, he had four games to evaluate and see if his injury was going to be potentially a career-ending injury.

"If it were, he had potentially quite a settlement coming from his insurance company and if it were not then forever hold your peace. So he had really been very cautious and conservative in coming back. That injury can be a year in healing, but can heal quicker than that, and hopefully in his case it has.

"Bottom line, we were able to do some things to take care of the risk he might have had on the policy and he was able to get out there earlier than he would have—and make no mistake about it, he still has some pain, and it was not easy for him to go back out there Sunday but it really paid off. He's farther ahead and we're farther ahead that we have him on the field."

The Cowboys certainly are—and were this past Sunday in a 35-7 victory over the Rams when Ellis registered 1.5 sacks on just 15 snaps.

With rookie Anthony Spencer having started the first four games at outside linebacker, Ellis figures to handle the same nickel pass-rush role this Monday night against Buffalo.

According to Jones, all's well that ends well—even after Ellis removed himself from the first practice of training camp to continue his rehab.

"We're fine, we're really fine," Jones said of their relationship. "It's going fine. Greg understands the business of this game, so we're doing good."

Former Cowboys Honored

Three former Cowboys greats—Calvin Hill, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, and the late Harvey Martin—will be inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame with the Class of 2007.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 1 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas.

Other inductees include former Arizona Cardinals running back Larry Centers; former Dallas Mavericks guard Derek Harper; Lancaster schools athletic director Beverly Humphrey; former University of Texas and Buffalo Bills running back Roosevelt Leaks; former Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson; former swimming champion Thurmin Robins; and inaugural Rube Foster Award recipient Kedric Couch.

--Rob Phillips 

America's (Most Popular) Team

The Cowboys have supplanted the Pittsburgh Steelers as the most popular football team among U.S. adults who follow professional football, according to a survey conducted by the Harris Poll from Sept. 11-18, 2007.

The nationwide survey was conducted among 2,392 U.S. adults, 1,182 of whom followed professional football. The Colts, Steelers, Packers, and Bears round out the top five, in that order.

The Cowboys have ranked in the top four since the poll began in 1998 and have finished first or second six times.