Top Story Editor's Pick
Back in the day, I would hear about a Tommy Morrison misstep and feel heartsick. For the Tulsa World, I provided extensive coverage of Morrison’s boxing career – the triumphs like his victory over George Foreman for a world heavyweight title, and the setbacks like his 1993 championship-fight loss in downtown Tulsa, his 1996 announcement that he had tested positive for HIV, and his death at the age of 44.
I can cover a team or athlete with complete objectivity, but I’m not a robot. I got into this business in part because of my love of sports, and I am outfitted with the full array of human sensibilities.
I like a lot of the people I’ve covered over the years. I really liked Tommy Morrison along with many others, and I like Justin Blackmon.
A lot of people seem to like Blackmon, a modest, good-natured, small-town guy who was an amazing Oklahoma State football player.
Last week, during OSU’s Legends of the Gridiron reunion of former Cowboy football players, there was yet another in a lengthy line of missteps.
Blackmon was detained by a university police officer on a public-intoxication complaint after being seen lying on a sidewalk – reportedly unconscious near the campus library. Online records indicated that there were no charges.
When the Tulsa World messaged multiple OSU officials to ask whether that incident would impact the school’s decision to add Blackmon’s name to the stadium Ring of Honor, the responses were fairly immediate.
For the time being, there is no change in OSU’s plan.
As a two-time Biletnikoff Award recipient and the only two-time unanimous All-American in Cowboy football history, Blackmon is scheduled to get his Ring of Honor salute during OSU’s Nov. 15 meeting with Kansas State.
In 2009, Blackmon was an OSU freshman who by season’s end would have 20 catches. In 2010 and 2011, with the great Brandon Weeden as his quarterback, Blackmon was unstoppable with 233 catches.
The 2010 and 2011 Cowboys played 26 games. Blackmon played in 25. He was suspended by Mike Gundy for OSU’s 2010 conference game at K-State.
The first of the publicly known problems occurred that week.
As Blackmon was returning from a Monday night Dallas Cowboy game, there was a 92 mph DUI arrest on I-35 near Carrollton, Texas. Two days later, Gundy and Blackmon were seated together during a news conference.
“I look forward to redeeming myself,” Blackmon stated, “and proving to everybody that this isn’t who I am.
“I’m not this guy. I’m humbled by this experience and I will grow from it.”
Regarding individual achievement, it’s impossible to have a better two seasons than Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon had in 2010 and 2011. As he totaled 233 receptions for Cowboy teams that were 23-3, Blackmon twice was a unanimous All-American and twice captured the Biletnikoff Award.
Tulsa World Archive
After his college days, Blackmon became a tragic example of what not to do when blessed with fantastic abilities and the opportunity to have a 10- or 12-year career and make $100 million.
This weekend is the 13th anniversary of the 2012 NFL Draft, during which the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Blackmon with the fifth pick overall.
Less than a month later, there was a DUI charge in Stillwater. One result: Even before his first NFL training camp, Blackmon was enrolled in the league’s substance-abuse program.
Ultimately, Blackmon would play in only 20 NFL games. The 2013 season began with a four-game suspension. He returned for four games and was suspended again.
Justin Blackmon is pictured with Larry Reece during an OSU Hall of Honor event at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Courtesy, OSU Athletics
There never was a reinstatement. The only known reinstatement attempt was denied by the NFL in May 2015, and seven months later Blackmon was arrested in his hometown of Ardmore and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Today, the 35-year-old Blackmon resides in Ardmore. He was in Broken Arrow last summer, for the annual Brian “Bucky” Utter Memorial Golf Tournament that raises money for a variety of causes.
Blackmon’s guest that day was Steve Miller, an Ardmore neighbor.
“I didn’t know him when he was playing football,” Miller said of Blackmon. “My grandsons will go knock on his door, and Justin will play football or basketball with them any time.
“The Justin I know is a really good person. He’s a great guy.”
Blackmon is a “great guy” who had rare talent.
In his final college football game, Justin Blackmon scored three touchdowns as Oklahoma State defeated Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World
During the 2011 season, Gundy said this about Blackmon: “He’s going down, in my opinion, as the best player to play here since Barry Sanders.”
It’s deflating that Blackmon also is a “great guy” with self-inflicted scars.
NFL scouts watch Justin Blackmon during OSU's 2012 Pro Day workout event at Boone Pickens Stadium.
AP file photo
On Oct. 13, 2013, in a road game against the Denver Broncos, he had 14 catches for 190 yards.
Eighteen days later, the NFL announced that Blackmon had been suspended indefinitely because of another substance-abuse policy violation.
Blackmon’s statement at that time: “Nobody is more disappointed with all of this than me.”
By the end of his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Justin Blackmon played in only 20 games.
AP file photo
Bill Haisten: Justin Blackmon a great Cowboy and ‘great guy’ with self-inflicted scars
- Apr 26, 2025 Updated 11 hrs ago
Bill Haisten
Tulsa World Sports Columnist & WriterBack in the day, I would hear about a Tommy Morrison misstep and feel heartsick. For the Tulsa World, I provided extensive coverage of Morrison’s boxing career – the triumphs like his victory over George Foreman for a world heavyweight title, and the setbacks like his 1993 championship-fight loss in downtown Tulsa, his 1996 announcement that he had tested positive for HIV, and his death at the age of 44.
I can cover a team or athlete with complete objectivity, but I’m not a robot. I got into this business in part because of my love of sports, and I am outfitted with the full array of human sensibilities.
I like a lot of the people I’ve covered over the years. I really liked Tommy Morrison along with many others, and I like Justin Blackmon.
A lot of people seem to like Blackmon, a modest, good-natured, small-town guy who was an amazing Oklahoma State football player.
Last week, during OSU’s Legends of the Gridiron reunion of former Cowboy football players, there was yet another in a lengthy line of missteps.
Blackmon was detained by a university police officer on a public-intoxication complaint after being seen lying on a sidewalk – reportedly unconscious near the campus library. Online records indicated that there were no charges.
When the Tulsa World messaged multiple OSU officials to ask whether that incident would impact the school’s decision to add Blackmon’s name to the stadium Ring of Honor, the responses were fairly immediate.
For the time being, there is no change in OSU’s plan.
As a two-time Biletnikoff Award recipient and the only two-time unanimous All-American in Cowboy football history, Blackmon is scheduled to get his Ring of Honor salute during OSU’s Nov. 15 meeting with Kansas State.
In 2009, Blackmon was an OSU freshman who by season’s end would have 20 catches. In 2010 and 2011, with the great Brandon Weeden as his quarterback, Blackmon was unstoppable with 233 catches.
The 2010 and 2011 Cowboys played 26 games. Blackmon played in 25. He was suspended by Mike Gundy for OSU’s 2010 conference game at K-State.
The first of the publicly known problems occurred that week.
As Blackmon was returning from a Monday night Dallas Cowboy game, there was a 92 mph DUI arrest on I-35 near Carrollton, Texas. Two days later, Gundy and Blackmon were seated together during a news conference.
“I look forward to redeeming myself,” Blackmon stated, “and proving to everybody that this isn’t who I am.
“I’m not this guy. I’m humbled by this experience and I will grow from it.”
Regarding individual achievement, it’s impossible to have a better two seasons than Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon had in 2010 and 2011. As he totaled 233 receptions for Cowboy teams that were 23-3, Blackmon twice was a unanimous All-American and twice captured the Biletnikoff Award.
Tulsa World Archive
After his college days, Blackmon became a tragic example of what not to do when blessed with fantastic abilities and the opportunity to have a 10- or 12-year career and make $100 million.
This weekend is the 13th anniversary of the 2012 NFL Draft, during which the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Blackmon with the fifth pick overall.
Less than a month later, there was a DUI charge in Stillwater. One result: Even before his first NFL training camp, Blackmon was enrolled in the league’s substance-abuse program.
Ultimately, Blackmon would play in only 20 NFL games. The 2013 season began with a four-game suspension. He returned for four games and was suspended again.
Justin Blackmon is pictured with Larry Reece during an OSU Hall of Honor event at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Courtesy, OSU Athletics
There never was a reinstatement. The only known reinstatement attempt was denied by the NFL in May 2015, and seven months later Blackmon was arrested in his hometown of Ardmore and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Today, the 35-year-old Blackmon resides in Ardmore. He was in Broken Arrow last summer, for the annual Brian “Bucky” Utter Memorial Golf Tournament that raises money for a variety of causes.
Blackmon’s guest that day was Steve Miller, an Ardmore neighbor.
“I didn’t know him when he was playing football,” Miller said of Blackmon. “My grandsons will go knock on his door, and Justin will play football or basketball with them any time.
“The Justin I know is a really good person. He’s a great guy.”
Blackmon is a “great guy” who had rare talent.
In his final college football game, Justin Blackmon scored three touchdowns as Oklahoma State defeated Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World
During the 2011 season, Gundy said this about Blackmon: “He’s going down, in my opinion, as the best player to play here since Barry Sanders.”
It’s deflating that Blackmon also is a “great guy” with self-inflicted scars.
NFL scouts watch Justin Blackmon during OSU's 2012 Pro Day workout event at Boone Pickens Stadium.
AP file photo
On Oct. 13, 2013, in a road game against the Denver Broncos, he had 14 catches for 190 yards.
Eighteen days later, the NFL announced that Blackmon had been suspended indefinitely because of another substance-abuse policy violation.
Blackmon’s statement at that time: “Nobody is more disappointed with all of this than me.”
By the end of his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Justin Blackmon played in only 20 games.
AP file photo
