Jordan Addison’s legal woes continue with trespassing arrest
None of Jordan Addison‘s three known brushes with the law have resulted in catastrophe. Late-night incidents haven’t escalated the way they often do.
Yet the news that the Minnesota Vikings and former USC receiver was arrested in Tampa, Fla., on trespassing charges Monday at 3:46 a.m. triggered a here-we-go-again reaction on social media while the Vikings hinted it might impact a potential contract extension.
Addison was arrested by the Seminole Police Department at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and charged with misdemeanor trespass in an occupied structure or conveyance, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident came 18 months after the former USC star was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after the California Highway Patrol found him asleep behind the wheel of a Rolls Royce that was blocking traffic near Los Angeles International Airport.
Addison pleaded not guilty to two driving while intoxicated charges before pleading no contest to a lesser charge of a “wet reckless.” The NFL suspended him for the first three games of the 2025 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
And in July 2023, Addison was cited for speeding and reckless driving in Minnesota for going 140 mph in a 55 mph zone. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor speeding and paid $686 in fines. A charge of reckless driving was dismissed.
Then-USC wide receiver Jordan Addison, left, during an NCAA college football game against Arizona State in Los Angeles in 2022.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
“Jordan is unique because 99% of the days that Jordan Addison is a Viking, he’s a joy to be around,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Tuesday at the team’s postseason news conference. “He’s incredibly intelligent, confident, responsible. And then it’s like all of us: What are you like on those 1% of days? Is it the type of thing that draws attention or not?”
Addison, the Vikings’ No. 2 receiver behind All-Pro Justin Jefferson since being drafted in the first round in 2023, is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. Analysts have predicted that he could get a three- or four-year deal worth about $30 million a year.
However, he remains under his rookie contract for the 2026 season, and the latest off-the-field incident could prompt the Vikings to hold off on an extension decision for a year.
“Obviously that’s something we have to consider when you’re talking about long-term ramifications of a contract extension and different things like that,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’ll have those conversations, obviously. Just a few days after the season and obviously this event just happened.
“But always supportive of Jordan Addison. We’ll continue to fact-find and see what actually happened, and then we’ll have those conversations in the future.”
Addison’s agent Tim Younger suggested in a post on X that the arrest might have been questionable.
“On Jordan’s behalf, his legal team has already initiated the investigation, identified witnesses, and we are reviewing the viability of a claim for false arrest,” the post said. “He looks forward to the legal process and upon full investigation, we are confident Mr. Addison will be exonerated.”
Before his string of legal troubles, Addison was a pioneer of sorts, generating headlines by transferring to USC in 2021. He was coming off a sensational sophomore season at Pitt when he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for best receiver in the country after catching 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“The real takeaway from the controversy surrounding Addison’s transfer is that few around college football were ready for the new free-market realities that were bound to sweep through the sport sooner than later,” Ryan Kartje wrote in The Times. “Pitt officials have provided no evidence of tampering, but the accusations have been enough to stir the college football masses into a cold sweat.”
With Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams at the helm, Addison caught 59 passes for 875 yards and eight touchdowns for the Trojans in 2022 before declaring for the NFL draft.
Drawing comparisons to Tyreek Hill, Devonta Smith and T.Y. Hilton for his explosive speed, Addison is a polished route runner who has a knack for finding the end zone. He had a team-high 10 receiving touchdowns as a Vikings rookie in 2023, finishing with 70 receptions for 911 yards.
Addison added 63 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. His production declined in 2025 — 42 catches for 610 yards and three touchdowns. Missing the first three games because of the suspension and the Vikings’ inconsistent quarterback play were factors.