Michael Floyd Overcomes DUI Arrest To Become A Super Bowl Champion

There are many different paths a player can take to get to a Super Bowl victory. Some, like Malcolm Butler and Tom Brady, start out as unknowns but turn into essential components. Others, such as Dont’a Hightower and Devin McCourty, come with expectations around them, which they fulfill. Michael Floyd’s path was not either of those.

The Arizona Cardinals cut Floyd on Dec. 14 after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI. According to the police report, Floyd had a BAC level of .217; Arizona law categorizes DUI arrests involving a BAC level of .20 or higher as “super extreme” DUI. (Floyd had previously pleaded guilty on misdemeanor charges of drunken driving while at Notre Dame.) The Patriots claimed the wide receiver on waivers on Dec. 15. A few days later, the Scottsdale Police Department released body-cam video of the arrest, with Floyd in his car at an intersection before he was arrested.

Floyd played in the last two regular-season games for the Patriots, as well as their divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans. He was inactive for the AFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. Nevertheless, because New England won and he participated in the team’s season, Floyd was a champion.

Going from a 5-7-1 team to a Super Bowl-winning team, because of a DUI arrest, would not appear to be doing a 180, especially over the course of roughly two months. Tuesday, Floyd realized that not everyone was impressed with his achievement, but he didn’t care:

And what a story it was. Floyd’s pre-trial hearing is set for Feb. 24.