In mid-December Bills wideout Donald Jones was shut down for the season. An ongoing medical condition that he's played with his whole career landed him on the Reserve/Non-football illness list. Jones subsequently met with specialists in New York City to chart a new course of treatment for his condition, and is encouraged about what lies ahead concerning his football career.
"I went back home and talked to the doctor," Jones told Buffalobills.com. "He's real confident in me playing and everything. I'll be back in May and ready to go."
Despite missing four games in 2012, including the last two games of the season, Jones set single-season career highs in receptions (41), receiving yards (443) and touchdown receptions (4).
His medical condition, which he chose to keep private, is something he's been playing with since college.
"No, it's never hampered me football-wise," Jones said. "This year, it wouldn't have either, if it wasn't for some of the treatments and things we were doing, which really hampered what I was doing. It's nothing life-threatening or anything like that. It's something that I have to deal with. The medicine that I was on kind of weighed me down, so they had to shut me down."
As far as a course of action to keep the undisclosed medical condition under control, Jones has a relatively straightforward regimen.
"It's just medication and treatment," he said. "No surgeries or anything like that. We're nowhere near anything like that. (The medication) is probably something I'll be on for the rest of my life."
Jones realizes as a restricted free agent if he's to return to the club in the spring he'll need to be extended a qualifying tender offer by the Bills or a contract extension, should the team choose to go that route. The receiver is hopeful that the pieces fall into place to allow for a return.
"I definitely plan to be back in May," Jones said. "We'll see what Buddy (Nix) and those guys think about it. Talking with those guys, they'd definitely love to have me back, and I'd love to be back."
