Ex-NFL QB Marinovich arrested for drug possession after being found naked

Former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich was arrested after being found naked in a stranger's backyard in Irvine, Calif., on Friday.

Marinovich was cited for possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.

"It is a tragic story. We found him hiding in a backyard. Someone else's backyard. We responded to a caller stating there was a naked person on Venta Spur Trail," Irvine police commander Mike Hallinan said Monday to Richard Winton of the Los Angeles Times.

Police were called Friday evening after Marinovich was seen naked on Venta Spur Trail, carrying a brown bag.

This isn't Marinovich's first drug-related incident. The quarterback was arrested for cocaine possession in 1991 and his brief NFL career with the then-Los Angeles Raiders was marred by drug use. Marinovich failed three tests in a two-year span and was suspended for the 1993 season, never returning to the league.

Marinovich was arrested for drug possession in 2005 and felony possession of a controlled substance, unauthorized possession of a hypodermic needle, and resisting arrest in 2007.

Billed as one of the most prodigious high school talents of all time, Marinovich entered USC with great fanfare, but his collegiate prowess was often overshadowed by his repeated cocaine use.