Odell Thurman

Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman has pleaded not guilty to breaking a man's jaw during a fight in line at a Sandusky water park. 9 Vote(s) Read Full Story

The NFL has suspended linebacker Odell Thurman, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, indefinitely. This judgment was handed down Friday by the league. Thurman, a second-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, was suspended for the first four games during the 2006 season because he skipped a drug test. Then following an arrest for a DUI that September, his suspension was extended to a full season. Then in June of 2007, Thurman was accused of assaulting two men in Georgia. The indefinite suspension... Read Full Story

In a move that comes as a shock considering how the Bengals need help on defense, today they released troubled linebacker Odell Thurman. The move is a total surprise to Thurman and his agent, who spoke out about it in the Cincy Enquirer. “The support he got from the fans, from the people of Cincinnati, from Marvin Lewis and (team president) Mike Brown, this comes as a surprise,” Lawson told the paper. It may be that the Bengals simply did not want to invest the time and energy into Thurman... Read Full Story

In a move that will upgrade their defense a great deal, the Cincinnati Bengals are getting back linebacker Odell Thurman, as he has been reinstated by the league after two years away from the game. Thurman missed the last two seasons due to violations of the NFL substance abuse policy. The Bengals put out a statement about their LB coming back to the team earlier today. “Odell has met the NFL’s conditions for reinstatement and has been added to our offseason roster,” Bengals head coach... Read Full Story

Filed under: Bengals, NFL Fans Never woulda thought Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman could be the reason the all-powerful NFL might have to reconsider how it metes out punishment to players who violate the league’s substance-abuse policy. [Thurman] has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, asserting that the N.F.L. declined to reinstate him because officials believe he is an alcoholic. That, his complaint says, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act... Read Full Story