Former Super Bowl champion and All-Pro safety arrested
Not that there’s ever a good time for an NFL player to get arrested, but getting arrested two months before becoming an unrestricted free agent is definitely not a good look.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety T.J. Ward was arrested at his Tampa apartment early Wednesday morning for an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court in relation to a previous arrest.
Ward was booked and released on $2,500 bond a few hours later.
Ward’s original arrest took place Oct. 25. Police responding to a security alarm went to Ward’s apartment and discovered two jars containing 99.9 grams of marijuana. A woman who was in the apartment, Ciera Woody, said the marijuana belonged to Ward.
#Bucs Safety T. J. Ward has been arrested with possession of Marijuana.
-TJ is an upcoming Free Agent this winter.
-This is the second #Bucs player caught with Weed in the last couple weeks.#NFL #BUCCANEERS pic.twitter.com/HDpQsiXcf7
— AllThingsBucs (@AllThingsTBbucs) January 3, 2018
However, she later changed her story and said the drugs were hers and were for “medicinal” purposes.
Medical marijuana is legal in Florida, but patients must have a qualifying ailment and a registration card.
Both Ward and Woody are facing felony charges of marijuana possession. In Florida, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana is considered a felony.
Ward failed to appear at a court hearing related to the October arrest, which resulted in the warrant that prompted his arrest Wednesday.
Ward is an eight-year NFL veteran. He was a second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2010 and spent the first four years of his career with the Browns. He was a member of the Broncos from 2014 to 2016, playing on Denver’s Super Bowl 50 championship team.
Ward is a three-time Pro Bowler.
He signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay for this past season. He started just five games, recording 30 tackles and no interceptions.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, the Buccaneers had yet to release a statement regarding Ward’s arrest.
Last week, a truck registered to Buccaneers receiver DeSean Jackson was found abandoned after it had struck a tree near a Tampa shopping mall. Police discovered 6.3 grams of marijuana in the vehicle, along with two .38-caliber hollow-point bullets.
A representative of Jackson told the Tampa Bay Times that a friend had borrowed his truck and that the marijuana and bullets were not Jackson’s.
No arrests have been made in the Jackson case.
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