Detroit Lions Vice Chairman Bill Ford on Thursday addressed the off-the-field problems of a few of the team's younger players, telling reporters, "It's disappointing, very disappointing. It's a shame," according to the Detroit Free Press.
"There are some conversations taking place right now," Ford said, referring to Nick Fairley, Mikel Leshoure and Johnny Culbreath and Titus Young, all drafted by the Lions in 2010 or 2011.
"We've dealt with it, we're dealing with it in-house," Ford said. "But I would point out, it is a handful of young guys. The veteran leadership on this team is about as high-quality as it gets, with Jason Hanson and Matthew Stafford, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson, these are great guys, not just on the field but in the community. That's the core of leadership we've build around - and the expectation is that they will put their arms around these young guys and say, 'This is what it takes to be a pro.'"
Fairley was recently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and attempting to elude police, Leshoure was cited twice for marijuana possession in the offseason, Culbreath was arrested on a possession charge in January, and Young punched a teammate in practice.
