Jordan Addison’s Legal Case Moves Forward
The Minnesota Vikings desired a new wingman for their superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the 2023 offseason, so they grabbed Jordan Addison in the first round of the draft. The USC alumnus has been excellent on the field, but his actions off the field have caused some headaches.
The Next Steps in the Jordan Addison Legal Case
Every few months, there’s a new update about Addison’s legal case that stems from last July’s incident.
The latest comes from Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling, who tweeted last Friday, “A jury trial setting conference is scheduled for Monday, for Vikings receiver Jordan Addison’s case in Los Angeles. Addison has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI charges stemming from a July 12 arrest after he was found asleep at the wheel near LAX.”
Joe Nelson from Si.com offered some details on how the legal process works in the state of California: “Addison and his attorney are scheduled to appear in the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Courthouse, Metropolitan Department 71, at 8:30 a.m. PT on Monday. The case is titled ‘The People of the State of California vs. Addison, Jordan Lee.’ In California, jury trial setting conferences feature the judge deciding if the case is ready for trial, and if it is, a trial date will be set within 90 days. Another possible outcome would be the sides deciding to set a date to resolve the case before trial via a Mandatory Settlement Conference.”
Before ever stepping on an NFL field in 2023, Addison appeared in the news when he was charged with reckless driving in the Twin Cities, which he later pleaded down to a misdemeanor. It cost him a fine of $686, and folks hoped his off-field legal story was over.
A year later, the next incident followed.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote in December about July’s charge: “Addison, 22, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with at least a .08% blood alcohol content after a West Los Angeles police officer found him asleep at the wheel of a white Rolls Royce that was blocking a lane of I-105 westbound near the airport.”
On the football field, Addison has been nothing short of sensational. It’s not easy to stand out on a team that employs Justin Jefferson, but he still has regular superstar performances and is a big play waiting to happen.
In his debut season, Addison played in all 17 games and recorded 70 catches for 911 yards and ten touchdowns. Jefferson missed half the season because of a hamstring injury, and Addison has to step up big-time earlier than expected. He didn’t miss a beat when he was asked to be the team’s WR1.
His sophomore year started with the next car-related issue, followed by a sprained ankle in training camp and another ankle injury in the season opener against the New York Giants. He missed the majority of that game and the next two. Ultimately, he played in 15 games and caught 63 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns. On a per-game basis, he was even more impressive.
Most memorable was his Week 14 contest against Atlanta when he scored three times and had 133 yards.
Addison is already one of the stronger sidekicks at the wideout position league-wide, and he could be in line for his first 1,000-yard season. However, a suspension is widely expected. Most think a two or three-game absence is likely. In most cases, the NFL is waiting for the legal process to play out before making a decision.
The upcoming year is a big one for the 23-year-old. He will be eligible for a contract extension in 2026, but the Vikings. He needs a productive year for that to even be considered and, of course, stay out of any further legal trouble.
Addison is under team control for two more seasons plus a fifth-year option.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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