Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison pleaded no contest Thursday to a lesser charge to resolve a 2024 DUI citation, his attorney said. The plea agreement, however, still leaves him subject to NFL discipline.
“We have been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review,” the NFL said in a statement Thursday.
According to attorney Jacqueline Sparagna, Addison will plead to what is colloquially known as a “wet reckless” charge. In California, where Addison was cited, that means he will plead no contest to reckless driving with the involvement of alcohol. Addison will be placed on probation for 12 months, pay a $390 fine and complete two online courses.
In a statement, Sparagna said: “While Mr. Addison’s case would have made for a great trial, I admire him for taking responsibility by accepting the city attorney’s ‘wet reckless’ offer. Now he can put this incident behind him and solely focus on his promising career.”
The NFL’s policy and program on substances of abuse remains relevant because Addison’s plea acknowledges the use of alcohol in a driving incident. The policy reads in part: “Absent aggravating circumstances, discipline for a first offense will be a suspension without pay of three regular or postseason games.”
Addison had a jury trial scheduled for Tuesday, but it was postponed as plea discussions continued.
In a post on X, agent Tim Younger wrote that Addison took “careful consideration of the charges against him and all defenses” and understood the “ramifications of this decision.” Compliance with the terms of the plea should terminate probation within six months, Younger wrote.
“He has kept the organization apprised throughout these legal proceedings,” Younger added, “and will continue in his full commitment to being a valuable member of his team.”
Addison, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2023, was charged in July 2024 with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with at least a .08% blood alcohol concentration after a West Los Angeles police officer found him asleep at the wheel of a white Rolls Royce that was blocking a lane of I-105 westbound near the Los Angeles airport (LAX). Speaking to reporters in Minnesota at the start of training camp in 2024, Addison said he was in a “dark place” following his arrest.
Asked about the potential of NFL discipline last summer, Addison said: “Whatever’s out there for me, whatever comes with it, I’ll own up to everything. I feel like anything that comes my way is meant to happen or is deserved.”
The incident occurred nearly a year after Addison was cited for driving 140 mph on a Minnesota freeway in July 2023. He subsequently agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor speeding charge, with a charge of reckless driving dismissed. He paid $686 in fines.
In two seasons with the Vikings, Addison has started 29 games, totaling 133 catches for 1,786 yards and 19 touchdowns.
