Fighting back tears, former Denver Bronco Tyrone Braxton publicly admitted Tuesday that he had an addiction problem, but denied he paid for sex before his arrest Saturday in Aurora.
“I do have a drug problem, and it just took a situation like this for me to come out and admit it,” he told a small outdoor news conference in City Park.
“I’ve decided to get the professional help that I need to be able to try and piece my life back together.”
However, he labeled media reports that he paid a prostitute for sex “irresponsible.” Still, he added, “I do accept full responsibility for being there.”
“I’m truly and deeply sorry,” he said.
Braxton was stopped by police while driving away from a house in the 1400 block of East Princeton Place, and officers found a small amount of cocaine and marijuana, according to police.
No charges have been filed.
The 41-year-old, who was a Bronco both times the team won the Super Bowl, said the most difficult part of the incident was telling his 12-year-old daughter.
“The reaction that she had kind of devastated me,” he said. “It set me over the edge to make me know what I had to do.”
He apologized to the Broncos organization – for which he played defensive back from 1987 to 1993 and 1995 to 1999 – as well as local nonprofits for which he has volunteered.
“I hope this can serve as a lesson to all, that this type of behavior doesn’t pay nor will it solve your personal problems,” he said.
