Despite stifling humidity and an opening training-camp practice that stretched past two hours Thursday, no sweat dripped from Thomas Jones when he finally broke his silence.
A strained right hamstring had sidelined him, adding physical pain to whatever emotional wounds prompted the running back to skip voluntary off-season workouts and lose his starting job to Cedric Benson.
With dry skin and similar tone, Jones addressed all these topics, saving the tweaking for his hamstring, not Bears management. When questioned, Jones chose to look forward and take the high road on every issue save one—his starting role.
"Anybody who has done what I've done the last couple of years is a guy who should be a starter," Jones said calmly. "I think I was the leader on the offense the past two years. I think I've been very productive despite some of the situations I've had to be in.
"I've worked hard. I've kept my mouth shut. I stay out of trouble. I do what I'm supposed to do and what the coaches ask me to do. As far as me being a starter, I was the starter the past two years. So we'll see how it goes."
Jones, coming off a career-best season, suffered the injury early Thursday morning while running sprints as part of his physical.
The Bears, who said more would be known about the injury's severity Friday, placed Jones on the physically unable to perform list.
Jones called the injury "not serious" and can leave that list any time before the Sept. 10 season opener.
By then the running back competition will have played itself out. Coach Lovie Smith has insisted that the Bears need Benson, Jones and Adrian Peterson to fuel their run-first attack.
But keeping two backs who crave carries happy is a tricky proposition. And Jones is enough of a veteran to know the Bears didn't pay Benson $16 million of guaranteed money to leave their investment untested.
"[Money] definitely dictates what happens in this league," Jones said. "That's the business side of it. A lot of times you can't just play football. I don't think a lot of people understand that.
"But I only can control what I can control and that is being prepared, knowing the offense and physically getting back on the field."
Jones' knowledge of the offense is one reason he gave for skipping voluntary workouts. While praising strength and conditioning coach Rusty Jones for in-season maintenance, he also said he preferred working in the off-season with Ian Danney, his longtime personal trainer.
Jones wasn't as clear about what specifically upset him during the off-season, merely saying that period is behind him.
Jones and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, made it clear to Bears management before the NFL draft in April that he would welcome a trade.
Asked if he still desired one, Jones said he enjoyed playing with his teammates. But he didn't directly answer the question.
"I really don't have a comment on that," he said. "Those were things that happened before. Now I'm here in training camp and I'm trying to focus on that."
Smith said he talked to Jones about his personnel decision and claimed the running back is excited to help the team.
"He's the coach," Jones said. "He makes the decisions. That was one he felt like he had to make. There really wasn't much I could do about it.
"I wouldn't say it motivates me or upsets me. I have two years left on my contract here in Chicago. I'm in training camp. I'm here to play football."
Strained hamstrings were all the rage at Bears training camp two years ago, with linebacker Brian Urlacher popping his on the first day and several more players following suit.
A less intense practice schedule and the arrival of Rusty Jones were credited for fewer injuries last training camp. Smith also acknowledged the importance of the team's off-season program.
But Thomas Jones is a workout fanatic, known for long hours in the weight room and an intense commitment to fitness. He also has a high pain threshold, which allowed him to play through bruised ribs and a sprained knee last season.
"I don't think I was as stretched as I should've been," Jones said of his morning sprint. "Plus, it was early and I had just gotten up. So I was in a rush to get it done."
Linebacker Lance Briggs, who also skipped voluntary off-season workouts, got paced through a similar physical Thursday morning. He practiced.
Jones didn't. If rushing for 1,335 yards but skipping voluntary workouts drops a player on Smith's depth chart, missing practice time can't help either.
"I think anytime you miss practice you're not making progress," Smith said. "But we know what Thomas can do and it's early in camp. He'll be back in time. We'll get him in there then.
"There's a lot of football left to be played."
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Jones' status: Hamstrung
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