Jonathan Joseph Latest Bengal To See Court Time

Jonathan Joseph was the last of the nine Bengals players to be arrested this past year. On January 22 he was pulled over, the officer smelled something marijuana, and Joseph told the officer he was carrying.

In his Super Bowl backpack, which is as good a place as any I suppose.

Joseph was in court last week in Boone County, Kentucky, and the judge went pretty easy on him since he's a first time offender. Joseph will be allowed to enter a diversion program that's only available to first timers, which means he'll be doing some community service or completing an educational program (where perhaps they teach people to not keep weed in the car?).

I wrote a while back about Deltha O'Neal and Joseph leaving Bengals practice to eat lunch together, and that O'Neal probably wasn't the best influence for the young Joseph, what with his DUI and lackadaisical play and all. Hopefully I'm blowing it out of proportion, but the Bengals obviously have to implement a team culture where stuff like this just isn't acceptable. Joseph seems like a good character guy who's never been in trouble before which makes you wonder about the influences other players have had on him.

More: Bengals CB Joseph Enters Diversion Program - AP