Elam Just The Latest Athlete To Have Off-Field Issues
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore Ravens safety Matt Elam was arrested in Miami Beach Saturday night after police say he was driving carelessly and had drugs in the car.
While athletes are often looked up to by children, kids may need to pick other role models, as Elam is just the latest young, professional athlete to end up behind bars or have off-field issues.
The Ravens safety is facing a slew of charges, and like other athletes who've found themselves in trouble, Elam's NFL career is now in jeopardy.
While he's used to being photographed on and off the field, Elam found himself posing for a mug shot over the weekend after being arrested in Miami Beach.
"It's just stupid," said John Maroon with Maroon PR. "It's a young guy doing stupid things."
Just after 7 p.m. on Saturday, police say Elam was speeding recklessly in a Range Rover.
Charging documents state that when officers were finally able to pull the 25-year-old over, there was a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car.
They say officers found more than 100 grams of marijuana, oxycodone pills, high end jewelry, and almost $1000 in cash in Elam's Gucci bag.
Police say a passenger in Elam's car had a loaded pistol on him.
While Elam's arrest was the big news out of the NFL over the weekend, it's just the latest to make headlines.
Last year, the Ravens' Terrance Cody was sentenced to jail time for an animal cruelty case.
Before that, Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of murder, and in 2014, Ray Rice was caught on video knocking out his wife.
All of these athletes were 27 years old or younger at the time of their incidents.
"You get guys that come into a lot of money. Little bit of fame, different things happen," said Maroon. "These guys are growing up under a microscope. The minute they get drafted, they get a paycheck, they become a celebrity and are assumed to be grown ups but a lot of these guys aren't grown ups yet."
Living in a world of scrutiny with social media, Maroon says teams are less likely to ignore public opinion and roll the dice on a player with troubles.
"It's just unfortunate that you're dealing with this stuff more and more," Maroon said.
Elam is now facing several drug charges, along with reckless driving, and even if he gets a shot with another NFL team, it's likely he'll face a multi-game suspension. Elam is due back in court on March 8.
The Ravens already announced they weren't picking up Elam's option, making him a free agent. After his arrest, they say he is no longer in the team's plans for 2017.
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