Thomas Davis reveals opioid addiction tied to career struggles

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Nobody could overlook the off-the-field community work — bankrolling a college scholarship endowment, a Thanksgiving food drive, a Christmastime gift giveaway — that cast Thomas Davis of the Carolina Panthers as one of the true good guys around Charlotte and across the NFL. Turns out, all those comebacks from all that pain took their toll and led to a deeper and more troubling story: As his career wound down, Davis became dependent on opioids, an addiction he blames for the unseemly breakup with his wife, Kelly, and the sullying of his once-pristine reputation. The Associated Press found that it was prescriptions filled to feed Davis’ addiction that led to the downfall of Joan Rubinger, a self-styled healer who listed Davis among her dozens of high-profile pro-athlete clients who swore by her pain-relief miracles.