Photo by Matthew Muise, ESPNNewYork.com
Erik Ainge in 2011.
Erik Ainge's tweet on ESPN's story
I just want to say thanks for all the nice comments I have gotten about my article and that tennessee doctors didnt drive me to drugs I did!
-ErikAinge3
Former Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge, now a backup with the New York Jets, opened up about his ongoing battle with drug and alcohol addiction in an interview with ESPNNewYork.com, which published Ainge’s testimonial Tuesday.
Though he admitted to being a drug user since the age of 12, Ainge wrote that he became hooked on painkillers and was an “addict” during his senior season with the Vols. He ran through the prescriptions so quickly, Ainge wrote, that the team doctor had no other choice but to stop giving them to him.
“I was hooked on them and I was playing football, and there was no way I was going to cancel my senior year by going to rehab,” Ainge wrote. “I started getting them from people, buying them, getting them off the street.
“I wasn't the only player on the team that was doing it, so we knew people. It wasn't, like, super sketchy or anything. We knew people who had them, and we were Tennessee football players, so they pretty much just gave them to us.”
Ainge, a Portland, Ore., native, was a four-year starter with the Vols from 2004-07 and threw for 8,700 yards and 72 touchdowns.
He later tweeted a clarification meant to clear up any implication of UT's doctors.
Ainge was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft but has yet to play a regular season game. He said his addiction to drugs, which included heroin, only got worse when he moved away from Knoxville. Through most of his rookie year, Ainge was downing 25 Percocets at a time, he wrote.
“I moved up to New York with a bunch of money, and it was where everything started falling apart,” he wrote.
Ainge said he lied to friends and “destroyed relationships” because of his drug habit.
Last summer, Ainge, in the midst of a “two-week bender,” wrote that he “had some trouble with the law” while he was in Tennessee visiting friends.
“It never got reported because the cops were Tennessee fans, and they saw how bad a shape I was in,” Ainge wrote. “It was so bad that I don't even want to talk about it. I was cuffed, but instead of busting me, the cops called somebody in town that knew me.”
Ainge wrote that he has been clean since July 17, 2010.
“I'm showing people that love me that I am changing for the better through my actions, and I'm starting to make amends to those people I've wronged,” he wrote.
Andrew Gribble may be reached at 865-342-6327. Follow him at http://twitter.com/Andrew_Gribble and http://blogs.knoxnews.com/gribble
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Comments » 119
hueypilot writes:
It makes you wonder if the coaching staffs at Tennessee didn't do anything in the character development department. So many former ut players wind up on the police blotter. I don't hold the coaches responsible, and I know you only hear about the horror stories, but jeez, it just seems like a lot of them made and continue to make bad decisions.
Smokey314 writes:
Here's the full interview.
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/co...
Sad.
tmartin writes:
And now the NCAA will be back on campus by the end of the day.
RoyaltyVol writes:
Fulmer covered this up pretty good. Pearl did some covering up with Brian Williams, why does Fulmer get by with it and Pearl doesn't?
DutchOrangeVolsOrange writes:
Certainly hate to hear that. This might explain some of the inconsistent play at QB during the 2005 season.
Looking for Kathy, Michelle, Mike, Moondog, Jordi, Nick, Bodi,the Olson family and Gramma Olson!
murrayvol writes:
Life's full of choices huey. Some folks put together a string of bad ones and some don't.
I think this is a big part of what Dooley's trying to do with VFL. It's a good concept and I hope it works.
RoadTrip writes:
I am glad he is getting clean. I am glad he is telling the truth. I am glad that the Fulmerites now have another chance to whitewash the bad stuff that happened without the public really knowing it. It's always fun to listen to their excuses - you know - it happens everywhere, the other guys are worse, Erik just has an axe to grind, etc., etc.
Hey police out there - quit being jock sniffers and take them in when they violate the law like you do with the rest of the public. You may save their and others' lives by doing it.
VolzsFan writes:
I know most of you live in the world that there is nothing outside Gay St and the Tennessee River, but as a former college and pro athlete (not at Tenn) there are way more on drugs in some form than not on them. If you think this is a Tenn problem you are nuts. If anything Tenn has less of this than some of the other big time schools in the SEC. Some schools the medical staff helps and monitors those addicted with obtaining what they need.
So before any of you think this is a UT coaching or administration problem think again. If you do not want these type of kids than go play in the Ivy League. However half of them are that way as well and they have more funds.
This is big time athletics. You want to play in the deep end yet you do not want to know the truth. I know that Hamilton hires coaches like he was at Middle Tennessee instead of Tennessee but this is the reality. Like it or not.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
This is sad! On the other hand, if he is truly recovered and stays that way, he could change SO MANY LIVES of young folks AND parents. It takes a lot for Eric to open up publicly about this. I always liked Eric. My son met and spoke to him SEVERAL times. He was ALWAYS REALLY GOOD with kids. He also was one of the better QBs we've had in some time. And to think that we (ME INCLUDED) wanted Crompton over Ainge LMAO.
everydayisorange writes:
I hope that he is telling the truth about being clean! Drug addiction has ruined too many lives, alot being celebrities and sports figures. I am praying for you, Erik!
Goodvol_1 writes:
It appears to me that the Tennessee Medical staff stopped giving him his pills because he was going through them too much. Sounds like they were looking after his best interest. They didn't ignore how quick he was going through the pain killers. I'll give them credit for that.
rkw2 writes:
I'm sure his Mormon background didn't help, either.
VolzsFan writes:
The rest of the country lives in THEIR community and think THEIR school has all the problems. I assure you, the vast majority of fans nationwide are not thinking twice about anything Tennessee does anymore. Hamilton made sure that ship has sailed in all sports.
rumaso writes:
What!!! On Phil Fulmer's Watch!!! Oh!!! No!!! Say It Ain't Soooooooo!!!
SmokeyDayAfternoon writes:
Well, I'm sure a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites are about to come on here just to judge and Bad mouth Ainge. I, for one, think it's great that he got help and got clean.
RockyBears2009 writes:
yes, and you sucked at UT and the fans weren't ever really behind you....maybe you weren't as good at covering your addiction as you thought-
addictions of any type are unfortunate and require help, but this at least helps explain your lack-luster performance for the Vols.
KnoxvilleKnowledge writes:
This is another problem area for the athletic program during the Mike Hamilton administration.
Maybe we need more accountability at the top so that it rains down on the coaches and players.
Maybe we need more direct administrative oversight of the teams in order to avoid charges, now and in the future, of failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance with NCAA rules.
Maybe UT does need to replace Mike Hamilton. I did not think so before but if all these issues (not just the drug use in this article) were going on in any other part of the university the dean, chancellor, professor, ect. would have been terminated.
Best of luck to Ainge. Loved him here as a player. I would love to see him excel in the NFL. Obviously people should have been doing more to help this young man while he was in college. People had to have known. If he was taking all those pills and heroin sure his appearance, attitude, and ability to function had to be impaired while at practice, pregame and during the games. Maybe Fulmer did not see it. Maybe Fulmer was not close enough to Ainge on a regular basis but someone had to have known.
sizeDD writes:
no kidding, what an infant
BobbyGraham writes:
Now i can understand those two interceptions in the georgia dome a little better.
BobbyGraham writes:
On a much more serious note, i blame Randy Sanders. What kind of moron calls a hail mary from your own 20 yard line. That injury caused all of this.
Vol_in_GA writes:
He looks a little like Kenny Powers in that photo. Nice mullet, E.
But seriously, hope he stays clean and gets his career back on track.
pdowned writes:
Please point me to the part of the story indicating that Fulmer was aware of this issue.
LField0910 writes:
OK, not everyone that has tattoos’ is sleazy. My husband has several, some tribal, various designs, and the rest are our children and grandchildren's names on his arm. A power T, VOLS, and a saying on his calves, tribal on the back of his neck and upper back. What do you consider sleazy and thuggish?
VolsToTheWall writes:
if you're naive enough to think that the entire coaching staff didn't know then the world must be a paradise for you everyday.
Fulmer HAD to have known, which also means he covered it up. If you're gonna dog Pearl you have to dog Fulmer too. Can't sit on both sides just because he won a NC.
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor pretty sure they tune in to see us smack around little guys that come on our board to cry and whine(you Precious!)
Bones never lie.
VolsToTheWall writes:
btw you have checked just to be sure thats not yer dad right?
ctownvol writes:
Well that certainly explains some of the throws he made.
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor chuckle. Witch Doctor say this " Mamas_little_Precious" that Witch Doctor now owns. Witch Doctor just have to jingles his keys and "Mamas_little_precious" dances..just watch.
Bones never lie.
givehim6 writes:
Makes one wonder with Fulmer being such a great coach and all why he keep Ainge playing, he should have put Cromptom in till Erik got cleaned up.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
That's one. But you can't blame Sanders and not blame Cutcliff for calling a QB bootleg at SC in 06 that nearly got Eric's leg snapped. They already had the game in the bag and they call a freaking QB bootleg. Not to mention we had LSU coming to town the next week (loss) and Ark in 2 weeks (loss). I'm not sure we lose either one of those games had they not called that worthless bootleg. We had a VERY good shot at a BCS bowl that yr until Cut called that bootleg at SC. He and Fulmer both SWORE it wasn't a designed QB keeper.....YEAH RIGHT!
Willis writes:
Eric Ainge aka Billy Ray Cyrus
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say you blame Hamilton like he should have Jedi powers ...but think Fulmer didnt know(?) Witch Doctor say no need to rebuttal this one.....wow.
Bones never lie.
(Witch Doctor say Ainge not he only one high...)
VOLliven2it writes:
All else aside, to hear he has been clean since last July is great. I hope he truly has a new lease on life and stays clean. That is a lifetime battle. No matter what he did or didn't do at UT, he deserves to be able to get on with a drug free life. Hang in there Erik and may your life keep getting better.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
You don't know what you are talking about. You don't know what Fulmer knew or didn't know. Pearl was basically busted redhanded pulling his stunts right in the midst of the NCAA being jammed right up his arse. Big diffence buddy. And lets say for instance Fulmer did know. Who's to say he didn't go to the team doctors about it. For all you know, he might be the reason the docs cut him off.
VOLS151 writes:
I hope you get your life back on track Eric! Thank you for everything you did for UT.
Willis writes:
ERIK
Willis writes:
I never could spell that boys name with a k.
Agent13 writes:
whats up with the mullet?
ULTIMATEVOLUNTEER writes:
Obviously you can't read. Fulmer didn't know who Ainge was when he started with drugs at AGE 12. Idiot.
BobbyGraham writes:
Oh yeah. i forgot about that one. Wow! Not only did our coaches cost us ballgames, but they turned players into drug addicts. i am half kidding of course.
robvols#366273 writes:
I would love to see Erik at training camp (if there is one!) this fall for the Jets in Florham Park, as I live only about 10 minutes away from the Jets' headquarters in N.J.
CoverOrange writes:
How many drug tests did he take during his 4 years? How could they not know?
mytrifecta writes:
Possibly the sweetest mullet I've seen since '89.
NashvillePreds writes:
I always thought highly of Ainge. He was a good guy to run into on campus, and never had a "holier-than-thou" attitude. (Very unlike Casey Clausen)
Hope he is fully able to overcome these hurdles.
acworthdave writes:
Not Phil Fulmer's Fault
Not Mike Hamilton's fault
This is all on Erik Ainge.
Seems to me that UT did the right thing cutting him off. I have not been around addicts but I understand they do a great job of fooling people around them. It seems the real hard stuff started once he got to NY. Let's try not to use the troubles of a young man as a club to hit over the heads of others. We all need to get behind Erik and hope he gets his life turned around.
RockyTopVolFan writes:
All fall down.
Truth will out.
Eric, thanks for giving your all for Tennessee.
To all things there is a season.
Best Wishes to you as you recover and stay straight.
Go Vol(s)!
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say dave one smart cookie!
Bones never lie.
Vol_in_GA writes:
Spot on, Acworth Dave...knew I could count on a fellow Georgian.
And let's not forget that NFL teams do a TON of research on their draft picks before they invest millions of dollars in them. If he can fool an NFL team, chances are he wouldn't have a tough time deceiving his coaches and trainers at UT.
Let's just hope he stays clean is able to move on with his life with or without football.
RoadTrip writes:
The Fulmerites never fail to disappoint!
If the team's medical staff knew Erik was getting addicted to painkillers, which they did or they would not have cut him off, Fulmer knew. They have to inform the head coach of the medical status of all players under their care. The whole campus knew Erik was hitting the bars all week every week for years. So Fulmer knew as well. 1 + 1 = 2. Duh.
But instead they all stick their heads in the sand and pretend that they cannot lose our starting QB to rehab for the sake of the team. How about telling Erik - you got one chance to go to rehab or be kicked off the team for your own good? It's not like Fulmer did not personally witness the destruction of Tony Robinson from drugs before his very coaching eyes in the 80s.
He knew and did not do the right thing.
gtown_vol writes:
Whatever. We all know Ainge is weak minded.
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