Former Jets linebacker and current Fox NFL analyst Jonathan Vilma was arrested in Miami on Wednesday for driving with a suspended license, as reported by journalist Andy Slater.
It seems Vilma was pulled over because his vehicle’s registration had expired.
He recently wrapped up his fifth season as a commentator for Fox Sports.
At 43 years old, Vilma has previously worked as a college football analyst.
After a successful career in college and professional football, he transitioned into media.
Vilma made his mark at the University of Miami from 2000 to 2003, later being drafted 12th overall by the Jets in the 2004 NFL Draft.
His collegiate achievements, which include first-team national honors in 2003, have made him a candidate for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame.
In the 2004 season, Vilma earned the Defensive Blue Key of the Year award. He played 55 games with the Jets from 2005 to 2007 and led the league in tackles during the 2005 season, earning his first Pro Bowl nomination.
Later, the Jets traded him to the Saints for a fourth-round pick plus a conditional selection, which eventually led to him winning a Super Bowl with New Orleans in 2010.
Vilma spent six seasons there, from 2008 to 2013, garnering Pro Bowl selections in 2009 and 2010 while appearing in 70 games. He racked up 110 tackles and two sacks during the Super Bowl season.
In 2017, he was inducted into the Saints’ Hall of Fame.
Interestingly, this isn’t Vilma’s first run-in with the law. In 2009, he faced felony charges for resisting arrest and misdemeanor charges for reckless driving and obstruction of justice. ESPN noted that those charges were eventually dropped, and Vilma contributed $1,000 to a hospital’s trauma center as part of a settlement.
At that time, Vilma expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am grateful that the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office is doing due diligence and decided not to file accusations against me regarding the arrest that occurred in Miami on January 16, 2009.” He also thanked his supporters for their belief in him.
