Holmes admits drug sales in youth

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes admits to selling drugs in his youth while growing up in Belle Glade, Fla.

Holmes made the admission in Tampa, the site of Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday.

"If I continued down that path, I wouldn't be here," Holmes said. "I've only told three or four people maybe throughout my lifetime about that, and at the moment I felt like it was time to share things. I'm pretty sure some kids can get a feel for changing their lives and not doing those type of things."

The former Ohio State star said he found it an easy way to make money, though he did not specify what he sold and did not need the money for food or essentials, instead using the money for gifts and shoes.

"I wanted to play football. I didn't want to end up like a lot of my friends, in jail, standing on the corner, not going to school."