Shane Ray Cited For Marijuana Possession: Will This Hurt His Possible NFL Career?
Just days before the NFL Draft, former Missouri Tigers defensive end and outside linebacker Shane Ray was issued a misdemeanor for having marijuana in his possession.
According to ESPN, Ray was not smoking marijuana when he was pulled over for speeding in Missouri. But spokesman Corporal Scott White said the officer who pulled him over did detect the smell of marijuana in Ray’s car. Shane Ray was given a warning for speeding, but he was cited with a misdemeanor charge for possessing 35 grams or less of marijuana, and he was also issued a traffic violation for not driving in the right lane on the highway.
Shane Ray’s court date has been scheduled for June 30. Shortly after the incident, Ray released a statement, saying he was sorry for his “poor judgment.”
“I am embarrassed and realize there are consequences for my actions. I was not under the influence nor impaired, therefore I was not detained. Fortunately, Monday’s incident only resulted in a citation. I will make better choices in the future.”
During his statement, Ray added that he has “always dreamed about” having a career in the NFL, and he will do what needs to be done so he doesn’t run into trouble again.
“There are no excuses here and I will take the necessary steps to ensure this will not happen again. I will not jeopardize my ability to have a positive impact on and off the field moving forward.”
“Shane Ray’s pot citation changes his stock dramatically. He could drop to the 3rd or 4th round.” – @MarkdominikESPN pic.twitter.com/jwB2OypNYV
— Mike & Mike (@MikeAndMike) April 28, 2015
Writing for NFL.com, Bucky Brooks noted that Shane Ray is “a spectacular pass rusher,” and there are five teams that could possibly take him during the draft. Those teams are the Washington Redskins; the New York Jets; the Chicago Bears; the Atlanta Falcons; and the New Orleans Saints.
It’s not just the drug possession charges that could harm Ray’s NFL hopes. Some reports claimed that Ray may need toe surgery. But according to a separate ESPN report, Ray said his doctor told him that he will no longer be needing surgery.
“[The doctor] just believes because of my schedule, I haven’t had time to rehab properly to get this toe where it needs to be. Teams that don’t seem concerned just told me that I would need to take it easy through rookie camp and continue to focus on rehab and healing.”
How do you think this incident will affect Shane Ray’s NFL dreams?
[Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images]
