The Vikings are Backing Michael Floyd’s Defense That Kombucha Tea Elevated His Blood Alcohol Levels

The Vikings are backing Michael Floyd’s defense that he did not knowingly violate his probation, but instead accidentally consumed too much kombucha.

Eden Prairie
USA Today Sports

Image via USA Today Sports

Eden Prairie

The Minnesota Vikings are backing Michael Floyd’s defense that he did not knowingly violate his probation, but instead accidentally consumed too much kombucha. Floyd claims he was unaware the tea contained alcohol, and he drank several bottles while watching movies with Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph into the early morning of June 11.

Floyd later failed three self-administered Breathalyzer tests. He was convicted of extreme DUI in February. If Floyd is found in violation of his probation, he could end up in jail.

If his defense seems a little far-fetched, well, that’s probably because it is.

We're testing Michael Floyd's defense this morning. I've downed 48 oz of kombucha so far and my BAC is 0.0. pic.twitter.com/9o9KDzE03Q

The Vikings are backing Floyd’s excuse. The team’s chief operating officer, Kevin Warren, reportedly wrote a letter to Floyd’s attorney, Robert Feinberg, which Feinberg used in conjunction with a defense motion that urged Scottsdale City Judge Statia Hendrix to cancel the hearing and instead reinstate Floyd’s house arrest.

“I am writing to request Mr. Floyd not have his court mandated requirements negatively impacted since he did not know the kombucha he ingested contained alcohol,” Warren wrote.

The letter CC’d Vikings president Mark Wilf, general manager Rick Spielman, and coach Mike Zimmer.

The letter states kombucha is “utilized by many professional athletes as a probiotic and is available at our facility on a daily basis.”

Floyd says the team encourages its players to drink kombucha, and he failed to refrigerate the tea, which elevated his blood alcohol levels.

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