Far too often, athletes who achieve some financial security throw their money away on fancy cars and in clubs, with girls circling around them like hungry sharks.
Before he was plucked out of the water, Addison survived an early NFL career that saw him bounce on and off the rosters of four teams after he went undrafted out of Troy in 2011.
Last year, he finally broke through in Carolina, emerging as the top backup to Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy, arguably the most fearsome defensive end duo in the league. Addison played in all 16 games, piling up 2 1/2 sacks, 21 tackles, with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
“I know I had the talent to be a (defensive) end,” Addison said. “But for the Panthers to extend me, it just shows they have faith in me.”
And that brings us back to the point in time shortly after the 26-year-old signed his extension in June.
Again, Addison treated himself with a vacation to Puerto Rico. While there, he rented a couple jet skis. He and “a young lady” were on one, his brother and their cousin were on another.
Let’s have Addison take it from there:
“So I fell in the water, and I can’t swim at all. But I was taught, when you fall, and you’ve got a life jacket, you relax, and you’ll float back to the top. So while we was in the water, she was pulling me down. I didn’t try to do nothing, I was just (Addison closes eyes and starts holding his breath).
“I was under there for a good 10 seconds. I swallowed a little salt water, and when I finally pop up, I’m still scared because the waves, they’re hitting me in the face. And the jet ski is over there (Addison points to a spot about 15 feet away). I was like, Lord, I hope there’s not sharks here. I was scared. I was scared to try and even learn to swim to go get it. But luckily, my brother and cousin were trailing, and they got me up out of the water.”
Wait, so what happened to the girl?
“I didn’t want to get on the jet ski no more. I let her get the jet ski. I went back to the shore. I had to lay down, man.”
Even after the scare, Addison said he’d ride a jet ski again, just not with a second person. And now he sounds like a man who’d be perfect for a water-safety PSA.
“I know life vests save. I went through it. So I know if I fall off, I’ll be saved.”