Jamal Anderson’s attorney said Wednesday that “concussion traumas” from the former Atlanta Falcons star running back’s playing days may be a factor in his post-career troubles.
Anderson, who was jailed this week in Gwinnett County on a probation violation charge, “has overcome a lot, not the least of which is the concussion traumas,” attorney Arturo Corso said in an email to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“... the concussion trauma syndromes which are the subject of litigation often leaves its victims to suffer depression and to deal with things by self-medicating with alcohol or the like,” Corso said. “The NFL has offered to bring Jamal into a therapeutic treatment program to address these matters, and we hope to do so successfully as soon as he's released from jail in Gwinnett County.”
The NFL could not be reached for comment Wednesday on Anderson’s concussion situation.
The 44-year-old was jailed after he “failed to show for probation,” Gwinnett Assistant Solicitor General Jennifer Scacco said in an email Thursday. Anderson has a Jan. 6 court date.
He was sentenced to 12 months probation and fined $645.50 in January for a 2014 DUI arrest in Gwinnett.
The latest incident comes one week after Anderson was banned from a QuikTrip in Suwanee after a Dec. 14 incident. He was not cited, but was issued a criminal trespass warning by police after he allegedly exposed himself to a store clerk and was apparently intoxicated, according to Suwanee police.
That incident is not related to the probation arrest.
After the Gwinnett situation is resolved, Anderson may have more legal woes in Hall County, where he pleaded guilty to DUI.
Corso said Anderson “will now likely be transferred and detained in Hall County for the exact same conduct being in violation of probation.”
Anderson was arrested in August in Forsyth County for a suspended driver's license charge. Corso said it was "an unavoidable emergency to pick up his son."
Anderson was the offensive star of the Falcons’ 1998 Super Bowl team and was popular for his “Dirty Bird” touchdown dance.
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