NFL legend Champ Bailey often broke the stigma with marijuana, which he used while playing in the league

When NFL fans think of players and marijuana use, former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams, or even Super Bowl champion Chris Long.

Williams and Long spoke at length about using marijuana for a variety of reasons, including pain control from some painkillers that were previously pushed.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Champ Bailey is among a group of former NFL stars advocating for the use of marijuana as a tool for physical and mental recovery. Bailey is the public relations coordinator for Trulieve, the world’s largest cannabis retailer.

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The former Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos standout told Fox News Digital in a recent interview that he was working with Trulieve to help the company get a license in Georgia. Since that end, Bailey has been tasked with educating the public about marijuana and breaking the stigma around it.

Bailey played in the NFL from 1999 to 2013. He was a 12-time Pro Bowler, a three-time first-team All-Pro selection and was named to the Hall of Fame All-2000s Team. He said he started using a stick to help him when he started his job.

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“But, fortunately enough for me, I stayed away from it until I was mature enough to participate in it. And it wasn’t until my second, third year in Washington that I was exposed to it. I always had some exposure to it from a social standpoint, but I wasn’t a part of it and that’s because I didn’t think that it is a benefit to my life.

“But when I saw professionals, like me, doing it, I felt more inclined to try. First of all, I didn’t want to go down the road of alcoholism or addiction to any drugs. So, I made a point … let’s just crawl before I go and do it a few times, and it calmed my mind, my body , it was, ‘How do I bounce back and stay at the top of my game?’ However, this helped me to do that.

Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (24) warms up before the start of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Invesco Field in Denver, Colo., Sept. 20, 2009. (Ron Chenoy/USA Today Sports)

“Fortunately for me, I found something that benefited me, and now, ‘How do I teach people about what happened to me so they can see it as a good thing for them?’ However, everyone should go their own way, I recommend guys always talk to your doctor about it.

“I talked to mine about it. So, it’s one of those things. Let’s stop being shy about talking about it and maybe go down that road. The only way you’re going to learn is to be open and honest about your use or your interest. In use that’s been my journey and that journey continues.”

Bailey explained to Fox News Digital that his goal was to break the stigma of using the drug, which was illegal in many states before 2012. Washington and Colorado were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, and California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana. in 1996.

Bailey said he uses himself as an example.

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“I’m a good role model. I’m really just using my story so people can understand,” he told Fox News Digital. “But it also encourages others to tell their story. I’m not the only guy who played football, basketball or any sport at a high level and uses cannabis. A lot of guys do more than you think. But for some reason, athletes wear this foundation, and we all should let’s walk that fine line and appear clean.

“Well, marijuana is part of our army for a lot of us. So, using those stories helps break those stigmas. It’s about the adults I grew up with. I couldn’t have these conversations with them 10 years ago because they all saw me as a gateway drug, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I think if that’s the case, then why didn’t I use that gate to do something else that was dangerous to me and many of my boys who did the same?’ That’s how you break those insults You have to use your stories.

Dealing with teammates in an NFL locker room is a little different, but it’s not too hard to show.

An NFL team is made up of players from different backgrounds, religions, beliefs and ideologies. If someone smoked weed, which was highly illegal and against NFL rules when Bailey played, the player would get the side eye.

Former professional football player Champ Bailey chats with a fan during a pregame ceremony at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Sept. 10, 2023. (Brent Skeen/USA Today Sports)

“I’ve played a long time, so I’ve seen a lot of different people with different beliefs and where people come from. There’s no place more different than in an NFL locker room. Guys can find out that some of us were smoking. , and they’re surprised until they really see, ‘Oh, this is really working for them’ because they know how to stay informed about what we are doing.

“So, that’s how we managed to break those in the locker room. But it takes strong leadership and standing up for what you believe in because, again, it was illegal, and it was against the rules to do it. I would never go out of my way to encourage anyone to do it (at that time) it was just too much to, ‘This is what works for me.’ If you want to know, talk to someone, especially your doctor, and go from there. It works for me and a few others. There is no other way to do it.

Breaking the rules was another thing.

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Ricky Williams was one of the best rushers in the NFL early in his career. He lost games and even failed a marijuana drug test the season before.

Bailey suggested that NFL players who were using the drug at the time knew when the test was taking place and stopped using marijuana before the test.

“At that time they were strict, but I wouldn’t say how much they wanted to hold you. Like, we knew when the tests were coming, so we always stopped at a certain time, which … mind you, that was detrimental to my recovery because the times we had to stop were in the off-season where they would have these annual exams.

“One of the times when you work harder than you do during the season because you are training to get back in shape, those are the times you really want,” he said. “I just remembered that the guys were always talking about when we should stop. Some guys were tested earlier than others, so the guys were going back to it and some were still waiting. It was a topic of conversation to find a way to go. That, but we all stuck together – those who were using – and we made sure that we all made it.

Champ Bailey before the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., Oct. 6, 2024. (Photos by Ron Chenoy/Imagn)

“Some passed, some passed. We’ve all had our experiences with the drug program in the league. But, good or bad, it was a waste of time. In retrospect, I think the league saw that they wasted a lot of resources on something that could really benefit us, and things have changed over time. using marijuana.”

Bailey said he has seen first-hand how marijuana use has helped.

He remembered his partner who had drinking problems when he opened marijuana to him.

“He knew I ate food so he wanted to find out what was best,” he said. “And when he started doing it, he was like, ‘Man I’ve been missing out.’ And that became his vice, so to speak, because now he saw that this actually contributed to this success.

“He ended up playing double-digit years in the league, a great career. So, no regrets there. I was happy enough to be in a position to show him that there was a better way. And there’s a lot of stories guys. I want to encourage guys to open up and share some of these stories because it helps.

Bailey said he would encourage more people to learn about the benefits of marijuana.

“That’s not what was taught 20-30 years ago,” he told Fox News Digital. “I think people are turning around. We have to keep telling our stories. If you’re a user, talk about it and educate people about why you use it and how it benefits you. The more we can tell those stories the better.

Washington Redskins running back Ladell Betts (46) runs past Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (24) in the third quarter at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Nov. 15, 2009. (Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports)

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“I think that’s why my vision fits well with Trulieve because they believe in the same thing. It’s not just about pushing their product. It’s more about, ‘How do we get people to come to what marijuana can do for you and, really, see it as a benefit to society and not a bad thing?'”

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