Former NFL, Texas star Earl Thomas arrested in hometown

Former NFL and Texas standout safety Earl Thomas, who has gone through a multitude of legal issues over recent years, was arrested in his hometown. While he was eating at a restaurant in Orange, Texas on Friday night, the warrant issued by a judge in Austin was executed.

He found himself behind bars after a local resident spotted him and alerted police around 8:35 p.m. at Spanky’s Bar and Grill, according to local news channels.

The warrant for Thomas’ arrest after he violated a court protective order by sending threatening messages to a woman about her and her children. He faces a third-degree felony charge because this is his second violation in less than a year.

Earl Thomas and his estranged wife have both been arrested for domestic incidents over the past two years, stemming from an alleged cheating incident which led the couple to file for divorce in 2020.

More on Earl Thomas

The Austin, Texas judge signed the warrant on April 27, but Earl Thomas was not booked until his arrest on Friday night. It has been reported by the Austin American-Statesman that he splits time between two homes in Austin and Orange.

The NFL free agent safety has not played in the NFL since 2019, but recently stated that he wanted to return to the National Football League. Although his extended absence already complicated that mission, his most recent arrest further decreases the chances a team will be willing to take a flyer on him at safety.

He was once a key piece of the Seattle Seahawks’ “Legion of Boom” which saw him rise to stardom alongside Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor on the way to a Super Bowl ring. However in his final season, he split with the organization and spent a brief stint with the Baltimore Ravens prior to the legal battles.