Encouraging medical reports caused the agent for Chad Jones to say the Giants’ stricken draft pick could return to football as soon as the 2011 season — but Jones might opt for baseball instead.
Jones underwent nearly eight hours of surgery to resume blood flow to his left ankle and foot after a one-car accident in New Orleans early Friday.
It was originally feared Jones might lose his left foot, but agent Rocky Arceneaux told the Gannett Louisiana News Service that Jones could resume his football career as soon as 2011 in light of positive feedback from his doctors.
Jones, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound safety from LSU, was a third-round pick by the Giants this year but is not expected to play in 2010.
“I’m optimistic [of a 2011 return],” Arceneaux said, according to the news service. “I would like to hope so. He’s such a great athlete. I think if anybody could pull it off and come back from this, it would be Chad.”
However, Arceneaux said Jones has not ruled out abandoning football altogether in favor of a baseball career because baseball would be less stressful on the leg.
Jones was a 50th-round pick by the Brewers in this year’s player draft after doubling as a pitcher and outfielder at LSU.
Jones shattered the left shin and left fibula, cut a large gash in his left thigh and suffered arterial and nerve damage in the accident. He lost control of his 2010 Range Rover SUV and crashed into a pole.
Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned Jones yesterday after he addressed 252 draft picks at the La Costa (Calif.) resort for a four-day rookie symposium.
“One of the rookies I spoke to today, Chad Jones, is in the hospital actually fighting for his life,” Goodell said. “It sounds like he’s doing well, but he’s got a long road back.” –with AP