Former Ohio State QB Art Schlichter Gets A Day In Jail After Sentencing On Drug Charge

Art Schlichter is headed back to the slammer. But just for the day.

The former Ohio State and Indianapolis Colts quarterback has been sentenced to one year of probation — plus one day at the Franklin County Jail — after pleading guilty to a drug charge.

Schlichter was found unresponsive in June 2022 in an Ohio Hampton Inn and had to be resuscitated with Narcan. Police found drug paraphernalia and cocaine in his room.

Previously, the 63-year-old spent more than a decade behind bars on federal fraud charges.

Art Schlichter received just one year of probation stemming from a 2022 drug charge. (Credit: Ohio Department of Corrections)

Art Schlichter was great in college, but gambling problems cut his NFL career short.

An Ohio native, Schlichter started all four years for the Buckeyes from 1978-81 and was the last starting QB for legendary coach Woody Hayes.

His best season came as a sophomore when he led OSU to an undefeated season — only to lose to USC in the Rose Bowl.

Schlichter finished his Ohio State career with 7,547 yards and 50 passing touchdowns, adding over 1,300 yards and 35 more TDs on the ground.

Art Schlichter played at Ohio State from 1978 to 1981. (Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)

The Colts picked him fourth overall in the 1982 NFL Draft, but his career derailed thanks to a gambling addiction that led to legal trouble for the better part of five decades.

Art's latest prison stint resulted from a ticket fraud scheme where the former quarterback sold college football and NFL tickets to clients. This included big-money Super Bowl tickets. But he never delivered.

That fraud resulted in an 11-year federal sentence and 10 years in an Ohio prison. Multiple reports from inside the prison said Art had women on the outside placing sports bets for him.

Prison officials also said he was running a Super Bowl ticket scam on the inside.

(Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

As if all that isn't bad enough, Schlichter also reportedly suffers from Parkinson's disease and dementia. A medical exam in 2012 revealed significant brain damage to Schlichter's frontal lobes after suffering roughly 15 concussions throughout his playing career.

After originally facing 8-14 years for this most recent drug charge, Schlichter can thank his (very few) lucky stars for a slap on the wrist.

If he violates his probation, though, he'll face 11 months in prison. The court also reserves the right to extend his probation by two years.