Two Already Troubled Players Get More Trouble

Cedric Benson’s rocky relationship with the Chicago Bears got murkier Saturday after the running back’s arrest on a drunken driving charge in Austin, Texas, his second arrest in little more than a month. Authorities said Benson was arrested early Saturday after he failed a field sobriety test. The former first-round draft pick was charged with driving while intoxicated and released on bond. The arrest comes a month after Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest. He has said neither charge is true, and those cases are pending.

Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating its substance-abuse policy and will miss the 2008 season. Under terms of the suspension, the free agent will not be considered for reinstatement until after the season, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Saturday. It’s the third consecutive season Thurman will miss. Thurman was suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell the last two seasons after he skipped a drug test, was arrested for drunken driving and failed to meet the league’s expectations for reinstatement. He was allowed to resume working out at Paul Brown Stadium in January and was fully reinstated April 21. The Bengals released him last month.