Packers Jolly says hes a more disciplined player
By Bob McGinn | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Posted: Saturday, September 19, 2009 12:05 am
GREEN BAY, Wis. - At midday Friday, the words and body language of Green Bay Packers defensive end Johnny Jolly demonstrated complete confidence that he was clear of the felony drug possession charge dismissed by prosecutors in Houston two months ago.
"Oh yeah, I'm good," Jolly said, adding that his attorneys felt the same way.
About an hour later, a spokeswoman for the Harris County district attorney's office indicated that the charge against Jolly probably would be refiled.
"The codeine will be retested by the middle of October," the spokeswoman, Donna Hawkins, said in an e-mail. "We should be filing the charge sometime after that."
The dismissal, according to Hawkins, was due to a new piece of equipment acquired by the Houston Police Department measuring the amount of codeine in a liquid.
Police technicians will be able to testify about its use and results after sufficient training.
Jolly, off to the best start of his four-year career in Green Bay, probably wouldn't be affected by the charge or possible NFL suspension in 2009 given the backlog in the court system. He could run afoul of either in 2010, but with a contract expiring after the season the Packers' exposure is reduced.
Arrested in July 2008 in his hometown of Houston, Jolly was charged with possession of between 200 and 400 grams of codeine. The charge is punishable by two to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Because it would be Jolly's first offense if convicted, he would be eligible for parole.
Jolly joined fellow end Cullen Jenkins as the defensive coaching staff's players of the game against Chicago. He played a career-high 60 snaps, registering seven tackles and an astonishingly athletic interception.
"If plays the way he did Sunday night, he's a legitimate NFL starter," coordinator Dom Capers said.
Jolly, a sixth-round draft choice from Texas A&M, couldn't say if it was the best game that he has played in Green Bay.
"I always hustle and play hard like that," he said. "I'm motivated every year."
The effect on Jolly of the dismissal a few weeks before the Packers opened training camp is impossible to tell. What became obvious early on was that Jolly fit the 3-4 defense and wouldn't be worried by competition.
Despite an ankle injury that sidelined him for two weeks of camp, Jolly kept in shape and maintained a positive approach.
A week into camp, Jolly was in a pitched battle for the job at left end with B.J. Raji, who had yet to sign, and Justin Harrell. But with Raji dogged by injury and Harrell ending up on injured reserve, Jolly's performance has earned him starting status as left end in base and left tackle in sub-packages.
"The thing that impressed me most about Johnny was he wasn't backing down or conceding anything to anybody," said Mike Trgovac, the first-year defensive line coach. "He was going to fight for what he thinks is his. That's the way he lives his life."
Despite the threat of incarceration and suspension, Jolly kept his mind right throughout a productive off-season.
"I couldn't let outside things bring me down," said Jolly. "When you've got coaches like we do, they never showed signs of getting down on me. They always kept me going, making me do this, do that. They made me feel at home.
"So I never really had a chance to get depressed about what was going on. It just made me work harder. They treated me good."
Jolly also credited Doug Collins and Jerry Parins, the team's top security officers, for "staying with me day by day. If I needed help, they treated me like the team."
In turn, Jolly did his part by becoming a more disciplined player. Whereas in the past he would compromise the defense at times by straying from his lane against the run or spinning out of his lane as a pass rusher, Jolly became more reliable.
"Those are things we talk about, that we're not going to accept from him, and he knows this," Trgovac said. "We're going to hold him accountable."
Jolly pursued far outside to make a pair of tackles on wide-receiver screens Sunday night. He was flapping his arms, inspiring the crowd and exhorting his teammates, leadership qualities that end Michael Montgomery saw Jolly exhibit at Texas A&M as his teammate in 2003-'04.
"Coach 'Trgo' wants us to be one of the most physical, violent D-lines in the league," said Jolly. "That's what we're priding ourselves on."
At 6-foot-3 and 324 pounds, Jolly can be as intimidating a presence as there is in the Green Bay locker room. Asked if he could be a jerk, Jolly replied, "Only on the field."
What intrigued the new staff about Jolly was his athleticism. He prides himself on his basketball ability, recalled averaging "20 and eight" as a senior at Forest Brook High in Houston when he played "everything, 1 to 5."
Huh? Johnny Jolly at point guard?
"Jolly, he's got some nice moves," said Montgomery, an even more accomplished prep basketball player in Texas. "Likes to dribble . . . got some good dribbling skills . . . he can pass the ball. He likes to stand out there by that three-point line. Nice little jumper."
For now, Jolly is all about football. One of 16 Packers with contracts due to expire, he also is playing for his financial future.
"I would be lying if I said I was not concerned about it," said Jolly. "But that will work itself out if I keep playing as well as I can on Sundays."