Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a distant memory for some Minnesota Vikings fans, but before too long, wide receiver Jordan Addison must resolve his legal infraction from July.
Addison pleaded not guilty to two DUI charges on Tuesday, and the next court date is scheduled for January.
KARE11’s Reggie Wilson tweeted, “Vikings WR Jordan Addison pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor DUI charges stemming from the incident in LA in July. The next court date scheduled for January 9th.”
California Highway Patrol arrested Addison in July for driving under the influence, his second legal infraction since joining the Vikings in the 2023 NFL Draft. The arrest occurred less than a week after Addison’s teammate, Khyree Jackson, died in a tragic car accident that might have involved alcohol consumption by the other motorist.
Addison’s original court date was scheduled for October — the day after the Vikings’ win over the New York Jets in London — but was moved to December 3rd.
Most onlookers expect Addison to serve a three-game suspension if he’s found guilty.
On July 12th, Addison was arrested near Los Angeles International Airport for suspicion of DUI while asleep in his Rolls-Royce that blocked a lane of freeway traffic. According to Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, alcohol was indeed a factor in Addison’s arrest. “Addison was charged on July 31 with driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving with blood-alcohol content over California’s legal limit of .08 percent, after officers found him asleep behind the wheel of a white Rolls-Royce blocking lanes of a highway near the airport,” Goessling wrote in August.
Goessling added, “He has an Oct. 7 appearance in Los Angeles court to be arraigned and enter his plea for the charges. If he is convicted or pleads guilty, he could face up to six months in jail, pay fines up to $2,000 or lose his driver’s license for up to six months.”
Addison arrived at Vikings training camp in late July, prepared to learn from the mistake, accept his forthcoming consequence, and move on. “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,” Addison told reporters.
Two days prior, Vikings leaders Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell expressed disappointment in Addison, generally speaking, but preached support for the 22-year-old.
“We’re disappointed in Jordan. We care about these players. We really do. We want to make sure we’re doing our part for the development on the field,” O’Connell said on July 22nd. “The other aspect of that is the off-the-field, the life skills, and the development of decision-making and learning how important it is within our culture — which we’re very proud of — that our players understand personal responsibility and accountability.”
If a suspension comes to fruition, Addison would likely miss the first few games of the 2025 regular season.
The second-year wideout is on pace for 815 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns this season. He missed two games due to an ankle injury in September.
Addison was arrested for reckless driving in July 2023, too, in Minneapolis but pleaded the offense down to a misdemeanor speeding charge.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.