Bob McManaman

azcentral sports

Cardinals Pro Bowl outside linebacker John Abraham was absent for the third straight day of training camp on Monday, a day it was learned the NFL's active sacks leader was arrested and charged late last month for driving under the influence in Georgia.

Arrest reports in DeKalb County showed that John Antonio Abraham, 36, was detained, questioned and later charged with multiple counts, including DUI, on June 29.

A Cardinals spokesperson on Monday said the team is aware of the arrest, but the spokesperson declined further comment.

If found guilty, Abraham would be subject to fine and/or suspension by the NFL.

When Abraham failed to show up for his conditioning test with the rest of veterans on Friday at University of Phoenix Stadium, coach Bruce Arians said the player was excused for personal reasons. He would not elaborate.

Asked about Abraham's absence again on Sunday, Arians wouldn't get into specifics other than to say that Abraham "has my blessings."

It is not known whether the DUI arrest has anything to do with why Abraham is not in camp. On Monday morning, Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim made it sound as if nothing was particularly out of the norm.

"I'm not concerned at all," he said on Arizona Sports 620 during the Doug and Wolf show. "He'll be back at some point here."

Abraham did not return to text and phone messages left to him by azcentral sports.

Abraham led the Cardinals with 11½ sacks last season, his first year playing for Arizona, and it moved him to ninth place on the NFL's all-time list with 133½. He needs 8½ more to move into fifth place ahead of Michael Strahan (141½).

Abraham's 48 career forced fumbles, meanwhile, are tied with Jason Taylor for the most in NFL history.

In October 2003, while playing for the New York Jets, Abraham was arrested and charged with DUI after crashing his sports utility vehicle into a fire hydrant and light pole on Long Island. He pled guilty to driving while impaired and avoided jail time, but he said it was a costly lesson.

"I'm not going through that stuff again," he told azcentral sports last August. "It's a bigger headache than it's worth. I got mine one time, and one time is enough. It's brought more pain than it did anything else. That one night of partying wasn't worth all the things I had to go through."

Abraham was arrested two years ago in Atlanta while playing for the Falcons on two counts of misdemeanor obstruction for failing to leave an area that had been taped off by police.

According to documents related to his arrest last month, Abraham's birth date was listed as May 1, 1978. His real birth date is May 6, 1978.