Justin Blackmon Says He Doesn’t Have a Substance Abuse Problem
By Josh Hill
The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without wide receiver Justin Blackmon for the first four games of the 2013 season as he serves a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. It’s the second time in his career that Blackmon has violated the policy and like all people who routinely get into trouble thanks to mind and mood altering substances, he doesn’t think he has a problem.
Blackmon said he doesn't have substance abuse problem. #jaguars
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) May 13, 2013
The arrest of Blackmon earlier this year was of the DUI variety which means twice in a year he’s been busted on such a charge. He was arrested for the very same charge around the time he was drafted by the Jaguars in 2012, and while he says he doesn’t have a problem it’s abundantly clear that he does.
This is something the Jaguars need to get on, as Blackmon possesses serious talent and is still just a young kid with wide eyes in the NFL lifestyle. Blackmon wouldn’t be the first talented player to waste away a career thanks to the bottle or some other vice and it’d be shame to see it happen to a talented kid like Blackmon clearly is.
Jacksonville is in a new era of the team and it’s one that won’t tolerate a young star running amuck on their dollar. Blackmon may be talented but he also wouldn’t be the first talented guy dumped by a team due to off-field issues. This is strike two for Blackmon with the Jaguars and it’s about time he admits he has a problem otherwise he’ll have to add unemployment to the list of things holding him back in life.