GREEN BAY — Johnny Jolly's comeback story isn't complete. It's just beginning.
The 30-year-old veteran defensive lineman, who'd been away from the game for three years while serving an indefinite suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, survived the Green Bay Packers' final cuts Saturday to make the 53-man roster.
Jolly took to Twitter to thank those who helped him make the cut.
@JJolly97: like thank Packers brass, coaches, packers nation 4 the support and opportunity. I won't let you down!! #itsaGthang
@JJolly97: Most of all I like thank god, my family , my friends, teammates and agent. Couldn't do it with out you.#itsaGthang
Jolly's inclusion on the roster wasn't a big surprise. While he arrived looking out of shape and rusty, he gradually shook off the rust, slimmed down and started making plays. He finished preseason play with four tackles, two pass deflections and an interception. His best performance came on Aug. 17 at St. Louis, where he batted a pass that was intercepted by Jarrett Bush and then had an interception of his own off a deflection.
I was sure we had seen the last of Jolly when he was arrested. All the more so when he was convicted. When he had another set back I was certain there was no way in this world he would ever make it back. Way to go big guy.
Early in training camp, general manager Ted Thompson acknowledged that he and the team weren't sure whether Jolly was worth giving a second chance. For now, it appears he's made the most of it.
"We thought long and hard on that and made a decision based off of our association with Johnny," Thompson said then. "When he's been here and been on our team — I'm not going to speak for all the other stuff, I'm not going to try to judge — but when he's been here as part of our team, he's been a good teammate. He had some veteran players on this team speak up for him.
"A lot of those guys don't know who he is. Jolly has some natural ability to play the game. He does things very fluidly and instinctively. The game kind of flows to him. So far so good, we have a long way to go."
Jason Wilde wrote: