Former NFL Player Estimates ‘80%’ of Players Use Cannabis

In an interview with an Atlanta, Georgia news station, Tavarres King, a former wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), estimated that “around 80%” of players in the league use cannabis. King, who admitted to using cannabis himself during his playing days, had a three-season NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014, and New York Giants in 2016 and 2017.

“Playing with it, laser-sharp. I was laser-sharp, laser-focused,” King said in the interview with Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein.

“‘So, everyone knows you with the Giants, Lambeau Field, catching a touchdown pass from Eli Manning and you were high that game?’ Klein asked.

‘Yeah, yeah I was,’ replied King laughing.

‘You did your job,’ Klein said.

‘Yeah, I did my job,’ King said.” — An interview excerpt via Channel 2

Several NFL players have admitted to using cannabis during their careers, despite it being considered a banned substance by the league. The NFL did end the practice of suspending players for positive cannabis tests as part of last year’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association. The league is also donating $1 million dollars to researchers studying the effects of cannabinoids on pain management in elite athletes, although none of its players will be involved in the study due to cannabis’ prohibited status.

Several former NFL players have entered the cannabis space following the end of their professional football careers, including Marshawn Lynch, Calvin Johnson, Rob Sims, Ricky Williams, Terrell Davis, Marvin Washington, Joe Montana, Eugene Monroe, and Carson Palmer.