Earlier this week, we discussed how the Jets owed Plaxico Burress a favor for keeping their terrible performance against the Broncos off people's minds. It seems that the gun-toting receiver's largesse didn't stop there. His spotlight also allowed Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis' arrest for pot possession to fly under the radar until Thursday when the Daily Record of Morris County, New Jersey finally broke the story.
Ellis was pulled over for speeding on Saturday morning by a Hanover Township police officer who then found marijuana in the car. He was charged with possession of both the drug and paraphernalia, speeding, driving without insurance and failure to produce valid registration. He issued an apology through a team spokesman today.
“I apologize to my family, the fans and the organization," the statement read. "As a captain, I set a poor 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.”
Neither the Jets nor the NFL would comment on any potential penalty, but a team spokesman said that Ellis is expected to play against San Francisco on Sunday. If something were to come down before the end of the season it would be damaging to the team's defense. Ellis has started all 12 games and has a team-leading seven sacks, which makes him a tough player to lose during the final weeks of a playoff drive.
