NFL Suspends Odell Thurman for Season

CINCINNATI (AP) _ Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman, already banned for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, was suspended Wednesday for the rest of the

Wednesday, September 27th 2006, 2:42 pm

By: News On 6

CINCINNATI (AP) _ Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman, already banned for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, was suspended Wednesday for the rest of the season following his arrest on a charge of drunken driving.

Thurman was arrested about 3 a.m. Monday, hours after the Bengals beat division rival Pittsburgh 28-20.

Police said Thurman's blood alcohol was 0.18 percent when he was arrested, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Ohio. Thurman is due in court Oct. 2.

His arrest came less than a week after commissioner Roger Goodell visited Cincinnati and reminded players of their responsibility to stay out of trouble and represent the league honorably. Thurman was the sixth Bengals player arrested this year.

Rookie Reggie McNeal and Chris Henry, both Bengals wide receivers, were in the vehicle but were not charged.

Henry has been arrested four times and convicted twice, avoiding jail time so far. He pleaded guilty to marijuana possession in northern Kentucky, and this month pleaded guilty to a weapon charge in Orlando, Fla.

Thurman, a second-round draft pick from Georgia last year, started all but one game in 2005.