LOS ANGELES – Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison opted to sidestep a messy courtroom showdown this week, quietly pleading no contest in a Los Angeles courtroom to a reduced charge stemming from his 2024 drunken driving arrest.
The deal? A “wet reckless” — legal lingo in California for reckless driving where alcohol was a factor. It’s not a DUI, but it’s close enough to carry some weight. The original charges — driving under the influence and having a blood alcohol content above the legal limit — are now off the books.
Addison’s no-contest plea means he’s not admitting guilt, but he’s also not fighting it. In legal terms, it’s the equivalent of tapping out and agreeing to take the hit — usually fines, classes, and a probationary slap on the wrist.
But the NFL might still have its say. Under the league’s personal conduct policy, a suspension — possibly three games — could be in the cards, regardless of how the case played out in court.
It’s the second time Addison’s found trouble behind the wheel in the past year. The first came with a 140-mph speeding citation on I-94 — no alcohol involved, but plenty of headlines. This one had more at stake, and the Vikings’ second-year receiver now heads into the season hoping to put both incidents in the rearview mirror.
Minnesota’s counting on him. With a healthy Justin Jefferson and a quarterback situation in flux, the team will need every weapon it can get. What happens next — with the league, and with Addison himself — might be just as important as any stat line this fall.
