Sean Jones

The Houston Oilers, who will play host to the Raiders on Sunday, signed defensive end Sean Jones, a former Raider. Jones, who played for the Oilers the previous three seasons, was signed during the off-season by New England Patriots as a Plan B free agent. He was waived by the Patriots this week. Jones, 28, is starting his eighth year in the NFL. The Oilers also moved linebacker Johnny Meads and defensive end Lee Williams to the active roster to make them eligible for Sunday's game.

When the story first broke and UCLA began investigating DeShaun Foster's use of a sport utility vehicle, the name of agent Sean Jones, the former Raider defensive end, surfaced and was quickly dismissed by those who checked further. The rumors, however, have been slow to die. Jones, here for the Super Bowl, is angry now, and he asked that a message be delivered--complete with obscenities--to demonstrate just how mad he is.

The Raiders have a history of drafting defensive linemen from colleges that are not exactly known as football factories. For example, Howie Long, arguably the best defensive lineman in the National Football League, was one of the last players to be drafted out of Villanova--a school that at one point dropped football entirely.

Ran into Stanley Richard, starting safety for the Redskins, at the airport, and told him there was a good chance Sean Jones would be joining him in Washington next season. Richard responded with the very same look that he had when he was playing for the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX and Jerry Rice and Ricky Watters were breezing past him for touchdowns. "Sorry, I don't follow," he says. "Don't really know who you're talking about." Sean Jones' point exactly.

The Raiders' player representative, Sean Jones, indicated Wednesday that there are some ominous similarities between the present football players' strike and the 1981 air traffic controllers' strike. And at a press conference at AFL-CIO headquarters here he said: "If they break us the way they broke the traffic controllers, they'll go after the others--the culinary workers, the auto workers and the rest."

Sean Jones, 29, said he is retiring after an eight-year National Football League career with one year left on his contract with the Houston Oilers.

Houston Oiler defensive end Sean Jones can expect an apology for a racial remark directed at him by Detroit lineman Eric Andolsek, Lion Coach Wayne Fontes said Monday. "In the fourth quarter, he called me a nigger," Jones said. "He said 'Come on you . . . nigger.' I've been called everything in the book since I've been playing football, but nobody's ever called me that." Andolsek acknowledged that he used the term but said he did not mean it in a racial way.

Ran into Stanley Richard, starting safety for the Redskins, at the airport, and told him there was a good chance Sean Jones would be joining him in Washington next season. Richard responded with the very same look that he had when he was playing for the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX and Jerry Rice and Ricky Watters were breezing past him for touchdowns. "Sorry, I don't follow," he says. "Don't really know who you're talking about." Sean Jones' point exactly.

Holdout defensive lineman Greg Townsend may or may not report to the Raiders, but he definitely won't be reporting to the Houston Oilers. Sources close to the Houston club say that the Raiders have made inquiries in recent days about trading Townsend for former Raider lineman Sean Jones, officially listed as retired. But Houston rejected the idea. "Sean's not going anywhere," said Oiler General Manager Mike Holovak. "We've been saying that all along. Nothing's changed."

In a move rife with potential, the Raiders traded defensive end Sean Jones to Houston Thursday for the Oilers' ninth overall pick in Sunday's draft. But potential for what? Are the Raiders going to keep the pick? If so, who are they going to take with it? Are they trying to put together a package for quarterback Jay Schroeder of the Washington Redskins? Or were they just taking the opportunity to unload a marginally unhappy player for a very high pick? Who knows?

In a brief exchange last spring, the New York Giants withdrew their contract offer to offensive tackle Clarence Jones, a restricted free agent, and tried to re-sign him for less money. Translation: You're a stiff, so we're low-balling you on payday. Jones' response: Great, I'll go play for the Rams. Jones, a fourth-round draft pick by the Giants, backed up Jumbo Elliott and Doug Riesenberg for three seasons, playing in only 10 regular-season games.

Holdout defensive lineman Greg Townsend may or may not report to the Raiders, but he definitely won't be reporting to the Houston Oilers. Sources close to the Houston club say that the Raiders have made inquiries in recent days about trading Townsend for former Raider lineman Sean Jones, officially listed as retired. But Houston rejected the idea. "Sean's not going anywhere," said Oiler General Manager Mike Holovak. "We've been saying that all along. Nothing's changed."

Sean Jones, 29, said he is retiring after an eight-year National Football League career with one year left on his contract with the Houston Oilers.

The NFL Players Assn. has voted to sue Warren Moon, Dan Marino and other players for breach of contract, it was learned Thursday. The suits, alleging the athletes made unlawful market-licensing agreements with representatives of the league's 28 club owners, are to be filed Monday in New York or Minneapolis. A source said they will be followed by additional suits against every NFL athlete who, in the last three years, has signed owners' authorizations after first signing player authorizations.

The Houston Oilers, who will play host to the Raiders on Sunday, signed defensive end Sean Jones, a former Raider. Jones, who played for the Oilers the previous three seasons, was signed during the off-season by New England Patriots as a Plan B free agent. He was waived by the Patriots this week. Jones, 28, is starting his eighth year in the NFL. The Oilers also moved linebacker Johnny Meads and defensive end Lee Williams to the active roster to make them eligible for Sunday's game.

Houston Oiler defensive end Sean Jones can expect an apology for a racial remark directed at him by Detroit lineman Eric Andolsek, Lion Coach Wayne Fontes said Monday. "In the fourth quarter, he called me a nigger," Jones said. "He said 'Come on you . . . nigger.' I've been called everything in the book since I've been playing football, but nobody's ever called me that." Andolsek acknowledged that he used the term but said he did not mean it in a racial way.

In a brief exchange last spring, the New York Giants withdrew their contract offer to offensive tackle Clarence Jones, a restricted free agent, and tried to re-sign him for less money. Translation: You're a stiff, so we're low-balling you on payday. Jones' response: Great, I'll go play for the Rams. Jones, a fourth-round draft pick by the Giants, backed up Jumbo Elliott and Doug Riesenberg for three seasons, playing in only 10 regular-season games.

In a move rife with potential, the Raiders traded defensive end Sean Jones to Houston Thursday for the Oilers' ninth overall pick in Sunday's draft. But potential for what? Are the Raiders going to keep the pick? If so, who are they going to take with it? Are they trying to put together a package for quarterback Jay Schroeder of the Washington Redskins? Or were they just taking the opportunity to unload a marginally unhappy player for a very high pick? Who knows?