Jones appeared before a judge in Boone County to issue the plea after reaching a deal with prosecutors.

As part of the plea agreement, officials dropped the other two charges he had been facing in the case -- alcohol intoxication and making a terroristic threat.

The judge sentenced Jones to 30 days in jail but suspended imposition of the sentence ... meaning if Jones keeps nose clean for the next two years, the former football player won't have to serve any time behind bars.

After the hearing, Jones provided a statement on the case on his X page -- writing, in part, "I am not proud of my conversations with the police that day."

"I am truly aware that police have a very difficult job and deserve to be treated with respect and appreciation ... The police were professional with me and deserved my respect in return. I genuinely apologize."

Remember, Jones was first arrested in the case while at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport on Sept. 11, after he got into a spat with airline employees over the electrical outlets in his seat on the plane.

Jones claimed he complained about his outlets not working -- and in response, airline officials decided to boot him from the flight.

Once Jones got off the jet, he blew a fuse ... with body cam footage showing him yelling at officers.

In his statement Thursday, Jones said he simply "let my frustrations from the plane bubble over into my conversation with the officers."