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Arizona prosecutor wants jail time for Minnesota Vikings WR Michael Floyd

By The Sports Xchange
Former Arizona Cardinals receiver Michael Floyd turns down field for a first down in the fourth quarter of the Cardinals-Baltimore Ravens game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, October 26, 2015. File photo by Art Foxall/UPI
Former Arizona Cardinals receiver Michael Floyd turns down field for a first down in the fourth quarter of the Cardinals-Baltimore Ravens game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, October 26, 2015. File photo by Art Foxall/UPI | License Photo

An Arizona prosecutor will ask a judge to jail Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd, who said kombucha tea caused him to violate terms of his house arrest by accidentally ingesting alcohol.

Floyd was ordered to appear before Scottsdale (Ariz.) City Judge Statia Hendrix on Monday afternoon to prove he did not violate probation from his February extreme DUI conviction.

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"It appears he's in violation and he should be ordered to serve the rest of his jail time," city prosecutor Caron Close told the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Monday. "The deal he made really gave him special considerations by letting him transfer out of state to continue his career.

"Special considerations were given to him -- and now this. We think he should be held accountable."

Vikings chief operating officer Kevin Warren wrote a letter backing Floyd's claim that he did not know kombucha tea contained alcohol, the newspaper reported. Warren sent the June 21 letter to Floyd's attorney, Robert Feinberg, who attached it to a defense motion urging Hendrix to cancel the hearing and reinstate electronic monitoring for the last five days of Floyd's 96-day home confinement.

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Floyd, 27, failed three self-administered Breathalyzer tests June 10-11. He said in a sworn affidavit that the Vikings encourage their players to consume kombucha tea as a health drink and that it is served "on tap" at Winter Park, the newspaper reported.

In his letter, Warren explained how kombucha tea is "utilized by many professional athletes as a probiotic and is available at our facility on a daily basis."

Floyd was arrested for DUI on Dec. 12 in Scottsdale, prompting his release two days later from the Arizona Cardinals. He pleaded guilty in February to extreme DUI (blood alcohol content of .150-.199) and served 24 days in Maricopa County (Ariz.) Jail before having to serve 96 days on house arrest.

The house-arrest sentence was transferred from Arizona to Minnesota last month, allowing Floyd to participate in the Vikings' offseason program. He also was allowed to remove the ankle bracelet monitoring his whereabouts so he could practice with the Vikings.

In the December incident, a video surfaced of officers trying to awaken Floyd in his Cadillac Escalade while it was running at traffic light at 2:48 a.m. local time.

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After being cut by the Cardinals, the New England Patriots gave Floyd a second chance by claiming him off waivers on Dec. 15. He played sparingly for New England but did catch a touchdown pass in Week 17.

Floyd caught a pass for nine yards in the Patriots' AFC divisional playoff win over the Houston Texans but was inactive for the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LI.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound former first-round pick (13th overall) had 33 catches for 446 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games for the Cardinals in 2016 before his release.

Floyd's best season came in 2013 when he had 65 catches for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns. For his career, he has 246 receptions for 3,781 yards and 24 touchdowns in 78 games.

Floyd became an unrestricted free agent in March before signing a one-year, $1.4 million non-guaranteed contract with the Vikings in May. He likely will face a league suspension as a result of his guilty plea.

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