National Football League

Dolphins: No timetable for Jones' return after controversial Sam tweet

Published May. 15, 2014 9:12 p.m. ET

Alex Marvez

Miami Dolphins reserve safety Don Jones remains in hot water after a weekend Tweet criticizing the post-draft celebration of St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam.

The Dolphins announced last Sunday night that Jones was fined and indefinitely “excused” from the team’s offseason workout program. Jones posted the phrases “OMG” (Oh My God) and “horrible” when televised draft coverage showed Sam kissing his boyfriend following his seventh-round selection.

Miami has required that Jones undergo “educational training” for his comments. Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey said Thursday night that there is no timetable for Jones to return.

“We’re still working through that,” Hickey told co-host Solomon Wilcots and me on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

Jones, a 2013 seventh-round pick from Arkansas State, finished his rookie season with 10 tackles and a forced fumble while appearing as a backup in all 16 games. Jones issued an apology through Miami’s media relations department stating his comments were “inappropriate.”

The Dolphins have repeatedly tried to educate their players about the use of social media but sometimes those attempts fall on deaf ears. For example, Dolphins center Mike Pouncey – a protagonist in the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin bullying saga – sent out a controversial Tweet following his team’s first-round selection of University of Tennessee tackle Ja’Wuan James.

Pouncey wrote, “Great pick! Can’t wait for our gifts he’s getting us lol (laugh out loud).” An independent report had accused Incognito of pressuring Martin into providing offerings to the team’s veteran linemen when he was a rookie.

Pouncey has since deleted his Twitter account after being spoken to by Dolphins brass.

“It’s part of the continuing education of players -- just the value and the positive things that social media can be used to and some of the other things trying to stay positive as an organization,” Hickey said of his team’s social-media training.

“These guys represent the organization and what we’re about. We’re moving forward with that. Don was remorseful.”