Jimmy Graham will not face criminal charges after his August arrest in California over an incident the New Orleans Saints said was caused by a seizure, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
The former Pro Bowl tight end was arrested Aug. 19 in Newport Beach, California on suspicion of being under the influence of narcotics and obstructing a police officer, after reportedly exhibiting erratic behavior. Graham was hospitalized after the arrest and released the next morning.
The Orange County district attorney’s office reportedly stated the office rejected the case due to insufficient evidence to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
Graham thanked the Los Angeles Police Department while speaking with reporters Thursday, via ESPN:
“Thanks for [the] LAPD and just how quickly kind of everything went down and kind of how helpful they were through the process,” Graham said at the Saints’ facility on Thursday. “Right now, we’re just dealing with that all personally.”
Following the arrest, the Saints released a statement saying Graham’s behavior was caused by a medical episode the team doctor believed to be a seizure:
“New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham experienced a medical episode last evening, which resulted in him becoming disoriented. He was taken into custody by local authorities and transported to a local hospital for evaluation for what Dr. John Amoss believes to be a likely seizure and spent the night under medical supervision and testing. Amoss met Graham at the hospital and is overseeing his care at this time. He was released this morning and is with the team as they continue preparations for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.”
Graham has since returned to practice. His participation was limited Wednesday due to rest, but otherwise appears on track to play in the team’s season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 10.
The Saints signed Graham to a one-year contract in July, eight years after the team traded him away in a deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Graham sat out all of last season after posting only 167 receiving yards in 15 games for the Chicago Bears in 2021, but made the Saints’ 53-man roster as part of a tight end group also featuring Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson.