Ex-Falcons star Jamal Anderson released on drug charges

Former Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson was released from jail Sunday night following his arrest earlier in the day after an off-duty police officer witnessed him snorting cocaine in the men’s room of a Buckhead bar, Atlanta police said.

Anderson, 36, and Mark Daniel Hudson, 20, both of Duluth, were in the same stall inside the men’s room at Peachtree Tavern about 3 a.m. Sunday, snorting powder cocaine off the toilet tank, police spokesman Otis Redmond said.

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APD

Former Falcons running back Jamal Anderson was arrested early Sunday morning after an off-duty police officer witnessed him sniffing cocaine.

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APD

Mark Daniel Hudson, 20, of Duluth, was arrested early Sunday for allegedly sniffing cocaine inside the Peachtree Tavern in Buckhead.

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• Photos: Anderson's career with the Falcons

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Jail spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan said Anderson was released on $6,000 bond shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard intends to charge Anderson and consented to the bond, according to the bond order. Charges against Hudson were dismissed Monday morning.

Messages left at Anderson’s home were not returned.

Anderson worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN’s First Take this past season. The network issued the following statement Monday: “He is not currently on our schedule to work. We will announce a decision closer to next season.”

A tavern patron alerted an off-duty Atlanta police officer to possible illegal drug use inside the restroom, he said.

“The patron had heard what he thought was sniffing from inside the stall and told the off-duty officer,” Redmond said. “The officer went into the restroom, heard the same sniffing and peered over the stall door. He saw Jamal Anderson and Mark Hudson sniffing two lines of powdered cocaine off the back of the toilet.”

Police said they found a 1-inch square bag of cocaine and a marijuana cigarette inside Anderson’s pocket. The men were arrested without incident and booked into the Fulton County Jail for felony possession of cocaine. Anderson was also cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Redmond said the tavern could be investigated for allowing Hudson, who is underage, inside the bar.

Anderson was in attendance Nov. 16 when the Falcons honored the 1998 Super Bowl team at halftime of the game against Denver.

During the 1998 season, Anderson ran for a club-record 1,846 yards to help power the Falcons to their only Super Bowl appearance. He celebrated his long runs and touchdowns by doing the “Dirty Bird” dance that was created by teammate O.J. Santiago.

He injured a knee, which required surgery, and had only two rushes the following season. Anderson played eight seasons with the Falcons, from 1994 through 2001, before a second knee injury ended his career.

— Staff writers D. Orlando Ledbetter, Mike Morris and Steve Visser contributed to this report.