Arrest warrant issued for Earl Thomas for allegedly violating wife's protective order
Former Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas is facing a felony arrest warrant after police said he violated his estranged wife's protective order multiple times, according to Ryan Autullo of the Austin American-Statesman.
Austin judge George Thomas reportedly signed the warrant on April 27 charging the former All-Pro with a third-degree felony for allegedly violating the protective order two or more times within 12 months. Thomas has reportedly not yet been booked into jail in Travis County, where the case is assigned.
The protective order was reportedly assigned in May 2021, though his wife, who has since filed for divorce, had previously obtained one in January of that year following an alleged drunken Christmas confrontation. Their issues have played out publicly since May 2020, when Thomas' wife reportedly confronted him and his mistress with a gun.
This current order reportedly stipulates Thomas can only communicate with the wife through a co-parenting phone app, which the woman told police Thomas refuses to download. Instead, she reportedly alleged he reaches out to her by phone and arrives unannounced at places she frequents.
Recently, however, she alleged Thomas had begun sending her messages threatening her and their children:
On April 18, police say Thomas texted the woman that he obtained two handguns earlier that day. Later, he texted: "Waiting on hand in foot is why I'll kick ur ass."
The next day, police say Thomas texted: "I hope u in the car with him and the kids and yall drive off the road." That same day, police say he texted: "Ima let my momma and my cousins poison they (their children) ass."
Trey Dolezal, the lawyer representing Thomas in the divorce proceedings, told the American-Statesman he left a message for Thomas informing him of the arrest warrant and claimed Thomas was reaching out to his wife to see their children:
"They were consciously and collectively working together to see his kids," Dolezal said. "I don't really understand how he could be in violation by working together to visit with his children."
The protective order and dispute with his wife aren't Thomas' only recent legal issues, as he was reportedly arrested in Travis County in Feb. 2021 on a misdemeanor for carrying a weapon unlawfully, but the case was dismissed after he agreed to forfeit the weapon. He and his wife also reportedly owe $96,000 in delinquent taxes and penalties on the house they own together in Austin.
Earl Thomas said he wants to return NFL recently
None of the above paints an attractive picture for NFL teams.
Thomas told ESPN's Adam Schefter last month he intends to return to the NFL after two seasons out of the league:
"I'm ready," Thomas texted ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday. "I'm in shape. My timing is on point — I'm proud of that."
The 32-year-old's last action on an NFL field ended when he was sent home after punching Ravens teammate Chuck Clark in practice during an argument over a blown coverage in Aug. 2020. The team quickly cut him after a number of players reportedly made it clear they did not want to see him back on the team.
Before Thomas' issues began, he was one of the most well-regarded safeties in the league, a three-time first-team All-Pro, seven-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. Now, he's out of the league amid serious character concerns, and this latest allegation won't help convince teams he's pulled things together.
