From the New York Post.
Eighteen hours after his son almost lost his life in a one-car accident that broke his left tibia and fibula and had doctors worried they might have to amputate his foot, Jones said his son was improving so dramatically that he was even thinking of making a return to football.
Of course, Al Jones said, it has to be taken one day at a time.
"Football is always going to be on Chad's mind," Jones said. "When he's 90 years old with great-grandchildren, he's going to be thinking about playing football again. It has to be that way.
"That's his first love, that's his love. Quite naturally, he's thinking about a whole lot of other things, too, but he's glad to be able to think about those things."
The alternative -- death in a one-car accident -- was too painful for a parent to ponder. Though football was the least of this father's concerns, Jones refused to rule out his son returning to the field.
"As I've always said, the things that got Chad to this point -- his attitude, his discipline, his desire, the things that you can put together in one person's heart and his mind -- are all the same tools and abilities that will get him out of it," Jones said.
"That's what we believe, and the future is going to take care of itself. It's already a miracle, so we're just going to take that miracle and make a bunch of miracles after that."
Jones said doctors confirmed yesterday that there was sufficient blood flow to his son's mangled foot and ankle that they will not have to amputate.
There is, of course, a long and difficult road ahead of Jones. Under the circumstances, though, this is the best news we could have hoped for.