According to Travis Dorman of the Knoxville News Sentinel, Tennessee running back Tim Jordan was arrested on gun and marijuana charges after a traffic stop in Florida early Saturday morning.
Jordan, a native of Bartow, FL, was pulled over in his home county after two Lakeland police detectives on patrol claimed they saw a vehicle speeding and repeatedly swerving into the bicycle lane per the arrest warrant. The officers stopped the vehicle and reportedly smelled “a strong odor of cannabis emanating from inside.”
Jordan was behind the wheel of the vehicle, and a 17-year-old male was in the passenger seat. The teenage passenger’s name has been removed from the warrant.
After being pulled over, Jordan reportedly told officers he had a gun in his back pocket but did not have a concealed carry permit. The handgun was a Ruger LP pistol and was loaded and unholstered in his back pocket. Inside the vehicle, the officers reportedly found a small bag containing 9.25 grams of marijuana along with a scale and several other empty plastic bags.
The rising senior running back faces charges of carrying a concealed firearm, possessing narcotic paraphernalia, and possessing 20 grams or less of marijuana. He was arrested before 5 AM in Lakeland.
Jordan was booked into the Polk County jail and remained there late Saturday afternoon per the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
A concealed carry charge is a third-degree felony in Florida, punishable by a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of $5,000.
The 5-foot-11, 219-pound back joined Tennessee as part of the Vols’ 2017 signing class. He appeared in all 12 games as a freshman in 2017 and made a small impact. In 2018, Jordan finished second on the team with 522 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 132 carries while adding 12 receptions for 116 yards, appearing in all 12 games and making two starts. This past season, Jordan appeared in 12 of UT’s 13 games and made four starts, totaling 428 yards and a score on 104 attempts while also catching six passes for 46 yards.
In his Tennessee career, Jordan has totaled 1,002 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 247 carries while catching 26 passes for 227 yards in 36 games.
The University of Tennessee has yet to comment on the situation, but we will update as more information becomes available.
