The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Bears’ 2011 sixth-round draft pick, linebacker J.T. Thomas, was arrested Monday morning in Morgantown, West Virginia, and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
Thomas was pulled over at 3:55 AM for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Police conducted a search of his vehicle and discovered two bags of marijuana.
It’s unclear just how much of the drug Thomas was alleged to be in possession of but the misdemeanor charge accuses Thomas of possessing less than 15 grams.
Thomas was a three-year starter at linebacker for the University of West Virginia before being drafted by the Bears.
The two-time all-Big East first-team selection, tallied 233 tackles (106 solo), six sacks, 27 tackles for losses, two interceptions, 13 pass break ups, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 49 career games (39 starts).
He spent his rookie season with the Chicago Bears on injured reserve while suffering from a back injury. And there’s no doubt this incident could hurt his chances of making the Bears’ final roster in 2012.
Thomas has been noted and praised for his commitment to working in the community and giving back to local charities. In 2012, Thomas started the J.T. Thomas foundation, which aims to support a variety of childhood disabilities organizations through fundraising events and awareness campaigns.
Just two weeks ago, Thomas held an event in his hometown for the Epilepsy Foundation on his way to deliver Super Bowl tickets to a young boy with epilepsy in Chicago.
Last season, Thomas offered and made good on a promise to take Joslyn Levell, a young girl who suffers from Spina Bifidia, a disease which leaves her in a wheel chair, to her High School prom.
Thomas’ little brother Jared is autistic. Joslyn Levell and Jared Thomas both ride the same bus to school.
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Tags: J.T. Thomas
Here are just a few of the many highly motivated athletes whose drug of choice is cannabis/marijuana:
* Usain Bolt, the 2008 World Record holder of the 100 and 200 meter sprint.
* Michael Phelps, the most decorated swimmer ever with 14 Olympic gold medals.
* Tim Linecum, the National League baseball’s Cy Young Award winner for 2009.
* Santonio Holmes, the Super Bowl XLII’s MVP.
* Mark Stepnoski, two-time Super Bowl champion. "I'd rather smoke than take painkillers."
* Randy Moss, NFL single season touchdown reception record (23, set in 2007), and the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie (17, in 1998). Moss has founded, and financed many charitable endeavors including the the Links for Learning foundation, formed in 2008.
* Ricky Williams, the Heisman Trophy Winner in 1998. Throughout his life, Williams has dealt with anxiety and depression. He used to advertise the prescription drug Paxil. However he later stated “Marijuana is 10 times better for me than Paxil.”
* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time leader in points scored (38,387), games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots and defensive rebounds. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season MVP Awards. He has a prescription to smoke marijuana in California, which he says he uses to control nausea and migraine headaches. He has been arrested twice for marijuana possession.
* "I just let him know that most of the players in the league use marijuana and I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason" - Josh Howard, forward for the Dallas Mavericks. Howard admitted to smoking marijuana on Michel Irvin’s ESPN show.
* "You got guys out there playing high every night. You got 60% of your league on marijuana. What can you do?" - Charles Oakley (Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets)
* "I personally know boxers, body builders, cyclists, runners and athletes from all walks of life that train and compete with the assistance of marijuana," - WWE wrestler Rob Van Dam
* Some of the best cricket players of all time, like Phil Tufnell and Sir Ian Botham, have admitted to regularly using marijuana to deal with stress and muscle aches. In 2001, half of South Africa's cricket team was caught smoking marijuana with the team physiotherapist. They were celebrating a championship victory in the Caribbean.
Disclaimer: I don't smoke pot. But, most definitely, no one should be shocked by this. And, personally, I don't think anyone should be all that upset about it either. I'm not going to judge him at all—part of the reason why I, unlike most, went out of my way to point out what kind of guy he really is. Having said that, he needs to be prepared to deal with the consequences—fair or unfair—of the choices he makes.