Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison said he was in a “dark place” after his arrest earlier this month for suspicion of driving under the influence, and in his first public comments since the arrest at training camp, he said he has received a lot more support than he expected from teammates and coaches.
“I was surprised by the support that I received,” Jordan Addison said after the Vikings' first training camp practice, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “I didn't think it was going to be how it was, but it really important. I was in the dark place. I was feeling down, and they really uplifted me, uplifted me to come out here and just perform at a high level still. So, through everything that's going on, I'm going to put it behind me and I'm still going to perform at a high level, come out here give the fans what they pay for.”
Addison could face discipline from the NFL depending on the outcome of the legal process, and he said he would take responsibility and accept whatever punishment. Addison was found asleep behind the wheel on Interstate 105 near Los Angeles International Airport just before midnight on July 12. Addison's car was blocking a lane on the freeway, and a DUI investigation led to his arrest. As of Wednesday, there have been no formal charging documents filed in court, according to Seifert.
“Whatever's out there for me, whatever comes with it, I'll own up to everything,” Addison said, via Seifert.”I feel like anything that comes my way is meant to happen or is deserved.”
This incident comes nearly a year after Addison was cited for going 140 mph on a Minnesota freeway in July 2023. He pled guilty to a misdemeanor speeding charge and had a charge of reckless driving dismissed. Addison paid $686 in fines.
How Jordan Addison is trying to move on from DUI arrest
Addison admitted that he is trying to “block the world out” after his arrest, tuning out the media attention surrounding the incident and trying to move forward.
“It's a lot on me sometimes when things come out in the media,” Addison said, via Seifert. “A lot of people that's reading it don't really know who I am for real from the incident. So, they just judge me off incidents that happened. They're not around me every day. They don't know what I do for people outside of football, but that's all it is. It's tough.”
Addison showed promise on the field for the Vikings last season, especially in the period of time when Justin Jefferson was hurt and before Kirk Cousins' Achilles injury. Addison said he is trying to keep learning from his mistakes and keep moving forward when asked if this was a problem he had to address away from football.
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