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Thomas had faith he'd be cleared

Charge dropped, he 'can't wait' for upcoming camps

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published May 11, 2008 at 5:36 p.m.

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Marcus Thomas started five games at defensive tackle as a rookie in 2007 and could be paired with newcomer Dewayne Robertson on a more permanent basis with the first unit in 2008.

Photo by Joe Mahoney / The Rocky/2007

Marcus Thomas started five games at defensive tackle as a rookie in 2007 and could be paired with newcomer Dewayne Robertson on a more permanent basis with the first unit in 2008.

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Marcus Thomas maintained Sunday that he always believed he would be exonerated of a drug- possession charge stemming from a late-night incident March 1.

It was no less a relief when the Broncos defensive tackle officially was notified late last week that authorities in Clay County, Fla., had decided not to press charges relating to the traffic stop that ensnared a high school buddy from whom he was hitching a ride after a night out.

Bryce Carter, his longtime friend from Jacksonville, Fla., still faces a felony cocaine possession count. Carter is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. But the case against Thomas officially is closed, county criminal records confirm.

"I'm relieved," Thomas said in his first public comments since the arrest. "I shouldn't have gotten arrested initially, but the officers were just doing their job. And I had to let it play out. But right now, I'm just happy the coaches stuck with me the whole time."

Thomas has sequestered himself in Denver since a few days after the traffic stop. He has been going through the team's offseason strength and conditioning program while the legal wrangling was been hashed out in his hometown. He remained confident there would be a positive outcome but was troubled by the fact his name and the organization were in the news in a negative light.

"I'm just glad it didn't go all the way to camp," he said. "I didn't want any distractions. This is the first time I've been able to be here in the offseason, and I've been working really hard."

Thomas was drafted in 2007 by Denver despite two positive drug tests for marijuana at the University of Florida, so he knew he already was on a short leash when his arrest occurred.

Thus, while he was confident he "couldn't possibly get in trouble" this time because he had "nothing to do with" the drugs and a gun found in Carter's truck, that historical backdrop admittedly created some anxiety.

Thomas remembered thinking while police searched Carter's truck that there was no way he'd be implicated.

He recalled being more concerned about finding another ride home, since he wasn't going to drive himself for fear he had had too much to drink.

But Thomas ended up spending a night in jail anyway.

A short time later, Carter reportedly admitted that a small bag of cocaine in the car was his, helping Thomas' cause.

"I just know I can't continue to hang out with the same people I hung with back in high school," Thomas said. "And I just have to stay out of Jacksonville, really."

Thomas called coach Mike Shanahan right after the episode and explained he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thomas quickly submitted to drug testing in a further attempt to prove his innocence.

Shanahan publicly supported Thomas in March and again in April, with the coach saying if he "didn't have a very good gut about the guy, he wouldn't be with our organization."

"As soon as I talked to Shanahan and Shanahan said, 'If you're innocent, we're with you 100 percent and we'll get through this together,' I was relieved," Thomas said.

If there was one mistake Thomas, in hindsight, said he made, it's that he probably shouldn't have gotten in the car with Carter, since he suspected that Carter, too, might have been intoxicated.

Still, Thomas was trying to avoid driving and risking a drunken-driving arrest.

"I felt I was trying to do the right thing," he said.

Now that Thomas has been cleared, he can go about trying to be an integral part of a needed front-four turnaround for the Broncos.

The five-game starter as a rookie could be aligned alongside newcomer Dewayne Robertson on a more permanent basis with the first unit in 2008.

So his judicial clearance is just as important to the team's fortunes as his own.

"I can't wait," Thomas said of the upcoming minicamps. "Last year, I didn't even play half a year of football because I was suspended from Florida. And I wasn't really working out because I didn't even plan on getting drafted. But I feel really confident coming into this season. I'm a lot stronger, well-conditioned. I'm pretty much ready to show what I've got going on now."

Comments

  • May 11, 2008

    9:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Godbuzz writes:

    Consider yourself lucky Marcus and learn from this!!!!!!!!!

  • May 11, 2008

    10:07 p.m.

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    den2mke writes:

    Good to see that he hit this straight on, submitting to drug tests and contacting the organization right away. If guilty, he likely would have done what others do in this situation: Hide behind attorneys, look for loopholes and the like.

    Ashame that many of these guys have to leave behind friends and life that they used to have, but at least Marcus seems to understand that's necessary for him to achieve his potential...

  • May 12, 2008

    7:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    mindcrash writes:

    Again, suck it haters.

    He has been exonerated and has said good things about the whole mess. Let it be.

  • May 12, 2008

    8:32 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    AngelontheSidelines writes:

    Everybody, repeat after me;

    No officer I do NOT give consent to search my car.

    Freedom must be exercised, and that includes telling the cop he has no permission to search your car/home.

  • May 12, 2008

    8:50 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    MarcoPolo writes:

    A refreshing first.

  • May 12, 2008

    9:26 a.m.

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    SportTrendleberg writes:

    Oh yeah! He's a Boy Scout now. Maybe the Broncs can team him up with a mentor. Travis Henry comes to mind.

  • May 12, 2008

    9:46 a.m.

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    Copperhead writes:

    This guy makes millions and year and he is "hitching" a ride from a friend. Call a friggin cab....better yet call a limo or hire one for the whole night. I will never figure out why these guys are driving themselves anywhere that drinking might be involved. The cost of a limo for the night is chump change to them vs getting arrested. Get a clue!

  • May 12, 2008

    10:39 a.m.

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    DeimosJB writes:

    Angel,

    Officers cannot search your home without a warrant. They cannot search your car without probable cause (See "implied consent" law). DUI, or suspicion thereof, is probable cause, and as such your admonition to say "No" on consent, no matter how emphatic, doesn't apply.

    Your "freedom" argument is only valid if you're not breaking the law. If you're breaking the law, cops get to exercise their freedom.

    Let's go Marcus. Have a great year. You and Robertson are being counted on to hold down the middle.

  • May 12, 2008

    11:51 a.m.

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    opinionatedcolo writes:

    This seemed a stretch from the start, given that it was not his car and no connection between Thomas and the drugs was evident.Good to see it worked out. He of course will always be judged by self righteous "perfect" jerks like Sportstrendenberg who love to throw stones.

    Deimosjb, being pulled over for DUI is NOT necessarily probable cause for a search, although the police may search the car incident to arrest. Even if you are "guilty" Angel's point about not consenting is still good advice. Cops are trained to ask for consent to avoid having to show probable cause. It is the right of every citizen to say no. That does not mean the cop won't search, but at these then they have to show a good reason.

  • May 12, 2008

    12:10 p.m.

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    Devil_Dog writes:

    SportTrendleberg

    Jealous some? Wouldn't they let you in the scouts, or on the football team? Or were you afraid to try? Maybe (and I think this might be closest to the truth) you just think you're better than everyone else. Good luck with that, cause you'll never be happy and it's your own fault.

  • May 12, 2008

    9:28 p.m.

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    filmjay2k writes:

    Copperhead, I don't think 4th round draft picks make millions of dollars - and I'm guessing that since so many of these kids come from impoverished backgrounds (see references above to Jacksonville, not exactly Beverly Hills) a lot of the money they make from their rookie season probably goes to mom and the family for new cars, a house, maybe college funds and insurance. I doubt Thomas is rolling in dough and able to hire limos and the like. And I can tell you from experience that rolling around in limos all the time is a pain in the *ss because drivers are jerks, all your friends wanna ride and drink the supplied booze/run up your bill, and at 90-120 per hour plus tip (and 6 hour minimums) having a limo waiting to drive you home from a kegger at your friends place in Jacksonville is frankly a stupid idea. Besides, guys with money still like to go to their friend's place and have some beers just like everyone else. You really think dropping $1000 on a ride home is smart? You'd be talking a lot of trash in a few years when you read the article about how much money he wasted partying in limos when (God forbid) he gets hurt and his career is over, wouldn't you? But its great to have guys like yourself out there giving financial advice with highly technical terms like "chump-change" etc. Thanks for the clue...

  • May 12, 2008

    9:30 p.m.

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    incognitoboy writes:

    copperhead.....

    cab, sure. limo? maybe....did you forget that thomas was a fourth round selection, and as such, he is not making 'millions a year'?

    maybe in his next contract if he keeps to his own advice and 'stay away from jacksonville'. stick with it marcus, stick with it!

  • May 13, 2008

    1:54 p.m.

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    jr_mcmillin writes:

    Good story, ten fold better than what the Post gave us. Keep up the good work writers, your winning more and more internet readers away from the Post.

  • May 13, 2008

    2:14 p.m.

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    chartguy writes:

    By the way, the gun in the car was legal.

  • May 13, 2008

    8:24 p.m.

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    broncodano writes:

    Thank you for reporting Thomas' side of the story. The Denver Post, whom i am convinced is completely ANTI BRONCO has run his mug shot as the lead for this story.

    Thank you for good journalism.

    In regards to the limo discussion, do you think, hindsight being 20 20, that Thomas would gladly pay two thousand dollars NOW for a limo ride that night?

    Youre damn right he would...

    and i doubt many drivers are likely to piss of a NFL DEFENSIVE LINEMAN.

    Good for you Thomas.. stay in the weight room for the next decade. We promise to send you whatever food you want... and videos.

    You do that and you will be PRO BOWL and can retire and do shaving commercials. THEN you get the limos...

    bd