Notre Dame football great tells uplifting tale of getting sober
Former Notre Dame football legendary receiver Michael Floyd seemed like a sure thing to be a success in the NFL. After setting receiving records with the Fighting Irish, the receiver became a first round 2012 NFL draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals.
By his second NFL season, he posted more than 1,000 receiving yards in a single season and looked like he was on his way to being one of the best young receivers in the league. However, despite two more seasons with more than 800 yards, Floyd was fighting demons.
In December of 2016, Floyd was arrested for a DUI and released by the Cardinals. That arrest was the culmination of issues with drinking that could be traced back to his Notre Dame days, but his football career was never the same after that run in with the law as he bounced around the NFL the next two seasons and eventually ended with a whimper in 2018.
Notre Dame football great details his efforts to get sober
In the years since, Floyd continued to struggle, but over the past 12-plus months, he's finally been able to get sober. And he credits the last team he played for, the Minnesota Vikings in playing a part in that.
“I think the Minnesota Vikings have some of the best [support staff],” Floyd said in an interview with the team site. “Les Pico and Don Patterson are two great individuals who totally understand and get it. They were just absolutely great people to speak to."
However, it still took a while before the former Notre Dame football legend was able to get well and get healthy. He said he finally made the decision at a friend's wedding.
“It was like, ‘I’m done with this. I’m done waking up not knowing what I did. I’m done having these stupid arguments with my wife or us not talking because of my drinking.’ I just didn’t want to deal with that anymore,” he said. “That same week I went to the doctor, and she said my health would be a lot better if I didn’t drink."
He's now sober and helping others to get sober as well. And interestingly enough, the former Notre Dame football star credits that DUI as being part of his wakeup call.