Shaun Ellis Arrested for Marijuana Possession
Ohhhh boy.
Team Captain and longest tenured Jet DE Shaun Ellis was pulled over on a traffic violation Saturday morning in Hanover, NJ and was charged on a number of isssues.
Defensive end Shaun Ellis has been charged with possession of marijuana, driving without insurance, and speeding after getting pulled over last weekend in New Jersey.
Ellis was stopped in Hanover Township, not far from the team’s new headquarters. Police pulled Ellis over at 8:37 a.m. Saturday after he allegedly pulled up behind a police car at high speed on Route 287 South, then passed the police car and exited onto Route 24, the Daily Record reported.
Capt. Shawn Waldron told the newspaper that Ellis was “uncooperative” and refused to give over the requested paperwork.
Ellis was arrested after the police found marijuana during the traffic stop. Ultimately he was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and issued summonses for driving without insurance, speeding, failure to keep right and failure to produce a valid registration card.
Ellis was contrite and issued a statement through the team media relations team.
“I apologize to my family, the fans and the organization. As a captain, I set a poor and selfish example for my teammates as well as all NFL players. Although this is a pending legal matter, I understand that I have to be responsible for my actions.”
We’re glad Ellis is setting the right tone about it, but I just don’t hope that any suspensions would spill into the playoffs. The team has yet to say whether they have leveled any sanctions of their own. Ellis has been a good soldier for his NFL career so hopefully since this is a first infraction, the head office might be lenient on him … still the bad news is that the Jets are on the verge of the postseason, so losing him down the stretch or for the playoffs could be devastating. Ellis is currently leading the team with seven sacks.
So far this season, the Jets have ran afoul of Roger Goodell’s squeaky clean graces with the suspension of two players (RB Jesse Chatman & QB Erik Ainge) on the NFL steroids policy and now this. Prior to these infractions, the only character issues the Jets had dealt with during Mangini’s tenure with the team was Justin Miller’s flee from the law in the Meatpacking District in the spring of 2007.
UPDATE: GM Mike Tannenbaum made this statement about the issue.
“He is disappointed with himself and has apologized for his actions. Personal conduct is important and an area that we stress to the entire organization. Shaun has been a leader on this team, and I am confident that he will han dle this in the appropriate fashion. The legal process will run its course, and the league will handle this matter.”
Filed under: Main Page
This really couldn’t come at a worse time. In recent weeks the D has had a hard enough time generating a pass rush with Ellis in. Depth on the lines has been a concern for many fans including myself; there is an obvious drop-off from Ellis to DeVito.
While possession of bud doesn’t rank any where near the top of my list of character infractions, it’s still surprising that a savvy vet and team leader would be so reckless.
Time for others to step up. DeVito, Coleman – VG, anyone?
devito is terrible coleman plays the other side and ghostman is well a ghost were in trouble
maybe move bt or pace to de and play murrell olb or throw the ghostman in at olb dont move him to end he’s suffered enough trying to learn olb
It blows my mind- regardless of what any individual might think about marijuana, the rules are simple. It violates the NFL’s drug policy. Sean’s salary is 3,077,059 this year. Want to make 3M this year ? Don’t smoke pot, don’t smack people around, don’t drive drunk. How many NFLers have been caught with pot or worse in their car in the last year ?
I don’t think Goodell’s rules are ’squeaky clean’. I do think he is going to keep trying to make the players understand they aren’t above either the law or the rules. Good for him. You have people making 10.00 an hour that have to pass drug tests. Why not someone who is supposed to be a performance athlete who a NFL team is paying millions to ?
Driving with the pot in your car, where you are likely screwed if you get stopped, compounds the stupidity. This sucks for the Jets. But I’ll be honest. People can hardly drive straight these days. If you’re drunk or stoned or even buzzed, it’s better for everyone if you get stopped- or at least better for the rest of us.
Yikes. Not good. I know it’s got to be tough to live under the NFL microscope but you’ve got to know that you can’t ever risk having anything in your car in case of a traffic stop. That is just really bad judgment. Not totally clear on the rules, but don’t you at least get to have your case adjudicated before the NFL suspends you? Didn’t the Jags’ Matt Jones keep playing?
If Ellis is suspended I hope David Harris is healthy because Bowens will probably pick up most of Ellis’ pass rush duties, splitting time with DeVito. If VG hadn’t disappointed Mangini last week he’d have a golden opportunity.
Don’t forget the Jets have project player Kareem Brown on the practice squad, with harris getting healthy again, they might look at ways to free space for brown should they need to.
From SI.com –
“This is believed to be Ellis’ first offense, which means he won’t be suspended by the league, but will be enrolled in the league’s substance abuse program.”
You in here ‘cuz of marijuana?! Man, this is some BULL****!
WOW! what the hell was he thinking? He’s got weed, no registration, no insurance, and he’s popping off to the cops? The cop was probably a Giants fan.
and Justin miller just ran back a 92 yarder for oakland…
sooo its been a rough week for NY football ey?
All I have to say is when it comes to the Jets, I hate December…
EddieC,
I am fine with letting Miller go. It’s not like LW is a drop off in production and he actually knows how to play his true position, unlike Miller who was constantly burned in coverage.
CJ MOSLEY!!!!
falcon
I know, I don’t mind it either- obviously I would prefer Washington on returns…miller was good at one thing: returning kicks. Just saying, its hard to stomach, especially with my hate for everything Oakland
I think Ellis will play.
Chrebookie,
http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll116/chuckbane/?action=view¤t=Bob_Saget_A_hoy_.flv
12345 -
Mosley is a tackle, not an end. Looks like Shaun won’t be suspended anyway, though it’s a shame to see him taint the usual model citizen Jets.
STUPID!!!!!!
Not good; but it wasn’t DUI (which would really show bad judgment), and it’s only a misdemeanor.
Ellis will be fine let the man burn
Ellis just looks like he smokes pot. Its all in the eyes. Same with guys lie R Dayne and D-Rob they have the same look. In saying that how could Ellis get suspended? Matt Jones from Jacksonville got caught snorting blow in a truck and still hasnt been suspended.
Drew – exactly.
Hope this isn’t a bad sign of thing’s to come…
Joe B.:
Mosely is indeed a tackle, which makes him closer to a 3-4 DE than the likes of Bowens, Murrell, Gholston, Pace and BT that people are suggesting should play there if Ellis were to be unavailable. I think Mosely has mostly played as a 3-4 DE when in the lineup this year, actually, so him and Devito are the logical backups to Ellis (and potentially Kareem Brown, as Bassett says) The only way those other guys could play there is if the Jets moved to a 4-3 system, because they are all too small to play on a 3 man line.
Unless you want to play prevent all game? Thought not.
Bent -
Point taken, but Mosley just looks too damn slow to be a viable solution at end, even in the 3-4. The point is moot anyway.
Yes, thankfully.
Mosely is a decent backup, but I agree, he’d probably be exposed as an every down player.
He did have that one great play though, I think against the Pats.
Yeah, that fourth-down sack of Cassel was awesome. Too bad we didn’t make that the snuffing out of the last Patriot hope.
Its just some damn weed……..george bush smoked weed for god sake and made it to his second term, give ellis a break! This is new york, last place I would think people would be gettin their panties in a bunch beacuse somebody wanna puff puff pass! Lol
#1 – What kind of pot-head drives fast?
#2 – What kind of pot-head is up at 8am?
It doesn’t add up. I think he’s innocent. The cop was a Giants fan and planted it on him. Case closed.