Former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich -- a once rising star whose promising career was destroyed by drugs -- is facing up to three years in jail over drug and public nudity charges after a bizarre incident in the backyard of a Southern California home.
Marinovich, who was briefly the star quarterback with the Raiders when they played in Los Angeles, and before that with the University of Southern California, is due back in a Newport Beach courtroom on Feb. 8 in a case that's already faced a number of delays since he was arrested by Irvine police in August.
Orange County prosecutors had filed charges against Marinovich in October, but it wasn't until an appearance on Wednesday that he that he answered to the charges, pleading not guilty to five misdemeanor counts of trespassing, possession of methamphetamine, and public nudity.
His August arrest -- one of his several brushes with the law since 1997 -- came after Irvine police were called out over a report of a man walking naked along a jogging trail that makes its way through the upscale community. When officers arrived at the scene they say they found Marinovich naked behind the home of "someone unknown to him," where he was trying to get inside through its sliding glass door. After taking Marinovich into custody officers say they also found a bag left on the trail with methamphetamine, marijuana, syringes and a marijuana pipe inside.
Police and prosecutors say there's not doubt the drugs belonged to Marinvovich because the bag also had his wallet and driver’s license inside.
Former NFL, USC star has long battled drugs
The 47-year-old Marinovich, who was a local high school star, went to nearby USC and then was drafted in the first round by the then-Los Angeles Raiders in 1991, once had a promising career ahead of him -- a career he has acknowledged over the years was derailed by his drug use.
Though Marinovich won the starting quarterback job in his rookie season with the Raiders, his substance abuse issues led to his release from the team two years later when he failed a drug test. With no other NFL teams willing to take a chance with him because of his drug issues, even with his talent, Marinovich opted to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the British Columbia Lions in the Canadian Football League.
He later tried, but failed, to make a comeback in the NFL. ESPN later listed Marinovich on its list of "The 25 Biggest Sports Flops."
Marinovich previously served jail time on marijuana charges
After his NFL career was over, drug issues continued to haunt the former star. In 1997, he served three months in jail for growing marijuana in his home. Over the next several years, Marinovich was arrested twice, again on drug charges, but avoided additional jail time by entering rehab programs.
