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New England Patriots player Michael Floyd has a real problem that could not only end his career but his life or the life of someone else. A little over a week ago Floyd was arrested for a DUI by Scottsdale, Arizona, police. Floyd was at a stop sign with his car running and laying back in the seat. An officer’s body cam footage captured the entire incident. Before the officer approaches Floyd, backup officers box in Floyd’s car so he can’t escape. The officer is seen yelling at a sluggish Floyd who slowly wakes up and seems confused.
The officer gives Floyd commands to turn off the ignition, put his hands on the wheel and open the door, but Floyd is so drunk he is unable to comply. The officer is forced to place Floyd’s hands on the wheel after Floyd began to imitate the officer’s mannerisms. The officer is heard to ask Floyd if he has any idea why he was now in contact with the police and Floyd replies, “Yes sir.”
The officer then asks, “Why are we doing all this?”
Then Floyd pauses a moment and says, “Nah, I don’t know why.”
Floyd is placed in a police car and seems dismissive that he was sleeping at the wheel of his vehicle. When he arrived at the jail he refused both a breathalyzer and blood draw and was placed in a cell. He was later charged with obstructing a roadway, DUI impaired to the slightest degree, DUI BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) over .08, and failure to obey an officer. Police were unable to determine how far he was over the alcohol limit. Floyd was released by the Cardinals after the arrest and was quickly claimed by the New England Patriots on Dec. 14.
Floyd has had a series of negative events in his life that where alcohol played a role. Besides an earlier DUI, he was once suspended indefinitely from Notre Dame in March 2011 after he was arrested while driving drunk. He was also cited for underage drinking in 2010.
Floyd will become a free agent at the end of 2016 and this latest brush with the law may have a negative impact on his prospects in 2017.
Despite his undisputed talent on the football field, a team must grapple with the reality that a star player has a known alcohol abuse problem. Also, the knowledge that Floyd seems to repeatedly drive after drinking makes him a public hazard if he goes unchecked.
Floyd was a first-round pick, taken 13th overall in 2012. So far this season, he has caught four touchdowns, as well as 33 passes for 446 yards.
