Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairly was arrested in the wee hours of Sunday morning for driving under the influence, having an open container in his vehicle, reckless driving, eluding police, and not having proof of insurance. It’s his second offense since April, when he was found to have marijuana in his possession.
The Lions have had a rough time corralling their players this year, with Fairly being the fourth to bring down bad press for the team in a series of drug or alcohol related incidents and fighting. The team has long been considered an underdog in the NFL, playing what was perhaps their best season in a long time last year after a string of losses. It could have been because their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, was finally healthy after two seasons fraught with injuries. Whatever the reason, it seems that just when things start to look up for the team, they have a run of bad luck, and the antics of some of the athletes aren’t helping. For his part, Stafford is trying to give the Lions a good name by offering his time and money to charities, but it’s going to take more than that for the team to overcome the black cloud that seems to hang over them.
Meanwhile, fans are all too aware that every new incident digs their team a little bit deeper into a hole, and they aren’t happy about it.