While Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans might not remember former first-round pick Gosder Cherilus off the top of their head, his career shows that he was largely a reliable offensive lineman who could handle some of the best edge rushers in the sport, even if he was a bit overpaid. Cherilus found himself in the news on Monday, but for all the wrong reasons.
Cherilus was arrested at Boston's Logan Airport after causing a disturbance on a flight headed to Dublin. Cherilus is accused of disturbing a flight crew and disorderly conduct on the flight, with the most shocking accusation being that he allegedly urinated on another passenger.
Cherilus has since posted $2,500 bail, per NBC 10 Boston. Cherilus has also been ordered to avoid both drugs and alcohol, for which he will be tested. Cherilus must have no contact with the victim and is not allowed to go to Logan Airport except for legitimate travel.
“Delta flight 154 from Boston to Dublin on August 17 returned to Boston Logan due to an unruly customer and was met by law enforcement,” a Delta spokesperson said to local outlet Boston 25 News. “Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful behavior and will cooperate with law enforcement to that end."
Former Buccaneers OT Gosder Cherilus arrested for urinating on plane passenger
Cherilus spent five of his nine professional seasons with the Detroit Lions, as the No. 17 pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and Boston College alum started 71 games across five seasons. Cherilus infamously signed a five-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts to protect a young Andrew Luck, but he was released just two seasons into the deal.
Cherilus signed a two-year contract with the Bucs, but his play was not where it was during his prime in Detroit. Cherilus started 13 wholly mediocre games in Lovie Smith's final season in Tampa, and he was eventually benched when the ill-fated Dirk Koetter era began. Cherilus retired shortly after this season.
This is a fairly ugly incident for Cherilus, and certainly not the reason to get your name back in the headlines a decade after retirement.