Former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich was arrested on drug charges after being found naked in a stranger’s backyard in Irvine, California, on Friday, August 19, according to multiple reports.
Marinovich, 47, who briefly played for the Los Angeles Raiders for two seasons in the early ‘90s, was cited for possession of a controlled substance, trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, TMZ and other outlets reported on Monday, August 22.
The former athlete was reportedly spotted naked on the Venta Spur walking trail on Friday night before officers discovered him in a nearby backyard. Police told the Orange County Register that authorities searched the area and found a brown bag containing Marinovich’s ID, marijuana and what they suspect is meth.
The San Leandro, California, native has struggled with substance abuse for decades. He was charged with cocaine possession in college while playing for the USC Trojans in 1991 prior to joining the NFL.
After a two-year stint on the Raiders, Marinovich was released from the team for failing three of the NFL’s drug tests. In the following years, he was arrested multiple times on drug charges, including suspicion of growing marijuana.
In May 2009, Marinovich told Esquire magazine that he frequently used marijuana and LSD during his brief NFL career, saying, “Pot just really relaxed me. I could just function better in public. I never played high or practiced high. It wasn’t as hard on my body as drinking. I thought, man, I have found the secret. I was in love.”
The troubled star told TMZ in December 2011 that, at the time, he had been sober for three years.