Santonio Holmes, Jr. (born March 3, 1984, in Belle Glade, Florida) is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He previously played college football with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

High school years

Holmes attended Glades Central High School in Belle Glade and was a letterman in football, basketball, and track. In football, he helped lead his team to two state titles and a 12-1 record as a senior. In basketball, he helped lead his team to a state runner-up finish as a senior. In track, his team won the state title during his junior year, and he was the member of a 4×400 meter relay team that won two state titles. Santonio graduated from Glades Central Community High School in 2002 with a 3.4 GPA.

College career

Holmes starred at receiver for Ohio State from 2003 to 2005, catching 243 passes for 2,295 yards and 25 touchdowns, while gaining 3,123 all-purpose yards. His 240 career receptions and 3,496 yards ranked were the fifth totals highest in school history at the time he left the Buckeyes in 2005. His 25 touchdown catches ranked him third. He majored in general studies.

Legal trouble

Holmes has acknowledged selling drugs on the street corner of his hometown of Belle Glade, Florida as a teenager; he says that his mother’s influence and a desire to play professional football made him decide to stop.

Holmes was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida on May 27, 2006 for disorderly conduct. Charges were subsequently dropped after Holmes paid a fine. Holmes was arrested for a second time on June 18, 2006 for domestic violence and assault in Columbus, Ohio.

On July 7, 2006, Holmes appeared in Franklin County Court in Columbus, Ohio for both a pre-trial regarding the domestic case and hearing regarding the traffic ticket. He plead no contest to the traffic ticket and agreed to pay a fine. While Lashae Boone, the mother of Holmes’ daughter and the victim in the assault case, requested that the domestic violence and assault charges be dropped, the prosecutor refused. Boone and their daughter accompanied Holmes to court. The charges were later dropped.

On October 23, 2008, Holmes was arrested in Pittsburgh and cited by officers for possession of marijuana. Holmes released an apology after missing a game, stating that he wished to “focus all of [his] efforts on helping our team win on the field and achieve its ultimate goal.”