Ex-GB Defensive Lineman Arrested On Drug Charges

Travis Pipes
Aug 24, 2017 · 2 min read

The sad, disappointing impact of addiction has hit another alumni member of the Green Bay defensive line.

Former Green Bay defensive tackle Johnny Jolly has been arrested on drug charges.

Again.

The incident occurred on August 14th in Houston near a school zone. Jolly was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. The police report referred to the substance in question as 28 grams of Hydrocodone.

The former Texas A&M Aggie has now been arrested five times in a ten year span since coming into the NFL.

He played in Green Bay from 2006–2009. Jolly was a valuable rotational defender on the Super Bowl XLV championship team.

In 2011 he was sentenced to serve six years in prison after violating his original probation for possession of what he infamously called “purple drank” in 2008. That substance is a highly addictive liquid form of codeine.

Jolly- who has been open and forthcoming about his drug addiction issues since that 2008 arrest- was released on probation after spending just a year in jail in 2012.

Green Bay gave him a mulligan and he was a notable comeback player in Titletown while appearing in 13 games during the 2013 season.

The Packers have a long history of working with players who struggle with addiction issues:

  • Defensive lineman Letroy Guion was finally released recently after his June arrest for driving while intoxicated in Hawaii. He was given several chances and support for his substance abuse issues and had been suspended by the NFL for various related infractions.
  • Wide receiver Koren Robinson was signed in 2006 and played briefly in 2007 despite struggling with alcoholism and league mandated suspensions which derailed his once promising career in Seattle and Minnesota.
  • Quarterback Brett Favre had a very public ordeal with addiction to prescription painkillers prior to the 1996 season. He spent time in an inpatient treatment program and came out to lead Green Bay to a Super Bowl XXXI victory that season.

Jolly is due back in court in Houston on September 28th.

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Travis Pipes

Written by

Midwestern native. Former NFL sports writer. Suicide: The Ripple Effect film cast member. Recovery and wellness advocate.

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