FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- It certainly wasn't the first two days of training camp that New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and head coach Todd Bowles envisioned.
It began with Richardson claiming he wasn't "a dope fiend" and apologizing to teammates for the four-game suspension he will serve for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse, reportedly for marijuana.
At that time, in a statement, Richardson said, "I apologize for letting down my family, teammates, this organization and the fans. However, words aren't enough. This is something that can only be addressed by how I handle myself from this point on. I don't want this to take away from what the team is trying to accomplish. While I won't be there at the start of the regular season, I will do whatever I can to support my teammates until I'm able to return to the field."
Those words were barely out of his mouth when word got out that Richardson had been arrested in suburban St. Louis on July 14, just 12 days after the league announced the suspension, and was charged with multiple traffic violations as well as resisting arrest.
According to the police incident report, Richardson was clocked in his Bentley driving at 143 mph along Interstate 64 in "what appeared to be a road race." Police tried to pull over Richardson, who sped away, blew through a red light and turned off his lights as he pulled into a driveway that wasn't his.
At that point, the police finally caught up to Richardson. He was ordered to step out of the car at gunpoint, along with two adult male passengers, because an officer said he saw Richardson reach under his feet. Upon searching the car, police found a loaded semi-automatic handgun underneath the floor mat on the driver's side.
Police also reported that a 12-year-old boy stepped out of the car and that the vehicle carried with it a strong smell of marijuana. However, Richardson was charged with neither gun possession, since the gun was legally registered to him, marijuana possession, or endangering the welfare of a child because prosecutors believed they didn't have enough evidence to go forward.
Speaking to reporters when camp opened, Richardson said, "I take full accountability for my actions. I apologized to my teammates and this organization, and I told them they don't have to worry about my name being in the news again."
He added, "I'm not a dope fiend, man. I can say no. I just chose not to. It was a depressing time in my offseason and that's just that. It's just that simple, bro."
The next day, he again did a mea culpa after his arrest became public and to the Jets because Richardson hadn't told the team about the incident.
Richardson said, "It's a legal matter, and it's ongoing, so I can't really say too much about that night. I would just like to apologize again to my teammates. I already had a personal meeting with everybody; coach (Bowles) brought everybody in. I apologize to my family, to the Jets' organization; they're still standing behind me. I'm thankful and grateful for that. It was a wakeup call."
Bowles hopes so. The first-year head coach didn't mince words in describing how upset he is at the player's poor decision-making.
Said Bowles, "It was disappointing. If it happens two times in that time span, it's more about Sheldon the man as opposed to Sheldon the player. That's the biggest thing. If you have children you know, when you say things, they're going to disappoint you and you have to come back. Right now I'm just worried about getting him help. He needs the help. I'm not even worried about the football player. Like I said, we can win without him. It would probably be more fun with him, but we're prepared to win without him. The biggest thing is working on getting him better as a person. When things like that happen, (the focus) is not when he's getting back on the field, it's can he get his life together. That's the biggest thing."
Bowles was direct and to the point when asked about trusting Richardson after the two incidents occurring so close together.
"You lose a lot of trust," he admitted. "As I said, actions speak louder than words. As a man, you have to own up to what you've done and not only own up to it, but you have to show change through actions. People are not going to believe anything you say in that regard. Just like your children, you're going to be disappointed. Over time, you have to show progress and great progress. You're not just going to take anybody's word for it anymore. He has to face his teammates. He has to face his coaching staff. He has to face his family. From that regard, you have to try to get better as a person."
As for worrying about Richardson failing another drug test, Bowles said, "I have concerns about him just being a better person. If he fails another drug test, he's going down the wrong road. Those are demons you have to live with and sometimes things spark and make you a better person and there are sometimes you spiral the other way.
"Again, I'm not worried about him being able to get back on the field. I'm worried about him failing or passing becoming a better man. That's the biggest thing here, him becoming a better person so that he can live the rest of his life; at 24, 25 years old, that's tough. I'm sure we all got away with some things and he's not gotten away with them. It hasn't been smart, it hasn't been clear in the head and clearly he needs some help. You have to try and help someone like that as a person. Like I said before, we're prepared to win without him. It'd be more fun with him, but one person cannot make our team."
Reacting to Richardson telling his teammates and coaches he wouldn't be in the news again following his suspension, Bowles added, "I guess clearly, he was wrong. Sometimes it's hard for a person that does everything on their own to ask for help. In his mind, obviously, it was denial and clearly he has a problem. That's what we have to try and help him with. It was wrong and you know it was embarrassing for him to say that and then it to happen. I guess the timing of it all wouldn't have been anymore embarrassing had he said something and then it came out. Right now, it is what it is as far as what happened and it's not going to change anything. Nobody condones it and nobody tolerates it. It's up to the guy. Clearly right now, this is not a football issue, it's more of a personal issue."
Bowles also said it was disappointing that Richardson failed to inform the team about the incident.
"That's something he has to deal with and obviously it's a problem there and we have to try to help him," Bowles said. "I mean, it surprised me. It's upsetting because it's disappointing that it's back to back. He has to live with that and there's no way around that. You can't defend that. I'm not trying to. I just hope he gets better and understands as a person. I'm more worried about the man than I am the player."
Will the Jets discipline Richardson on their own? Apparently not. Bowles concluded, "We're going to wait and see how it plays out. Obviously, the league will be involved with that and the Missouri police department will be involved with that. We'll wait to see what our actions are after that."
Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan, commenting for the first time on Richardson's recent arrest and drug suspension, was noncommittal on the player's long-term future with the organization.
"At this point in time, we'll see how it progresses," Maccagnan said Saturday. "It's not about words right now, it's about actions -- not actions on the football field. It's how he handles himself.
"We do worry about Sheldon in terms of the decisions he has made off the field. There is a degree of trust that has been broken, but we're supportive."
