Todd Marinovich had his NFL career derailed by substance-abuse problems. The former Raiders first-round pick is in the news again; he was arrested Friday night in Irvine, Calif., after he was found naked with marijuana while in someone else's yard, according to the Orange County Register.
Marinovich was cited for trespassing, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, according to police, who received a complaint around 9 p.m. on Friday.
"The caller stated that there was a naked person on Venta Spur [bike] Trail," Irvine police Commander Mike Hallinan told the Register, adding that Marinovich "was carrying the items in a brown bag."
Marinovich, an Irvine resident, starred at USC in the late '80s and early '90s. The Raiders drafted him 24th overall in 1991 -- ahead of Brett Favre -- and he played in eight games in two seasons. He twice ended up in rehab and repeated failed drug tests led the NFL to suspend him for the 1993 season. The Raiders decided to part ways with Marinovich, who never played in the NFL again.
He was arrested for cocaine possession shortly after USC played in the 1990 Sun Bowl, and in 1997 he pleaded guilty to cultivating marijuana in his home. In 2005, he was arrested in Newport Beach, Calif., for drug possession, and in 2007 he was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, unauthorized possession of a hypodermic needle and resisting arrest.
Marinovich had brief stints in the CFL and the Arena League, but ongoing substance-abuse issues prevented any real comeback attempts.
