Johnny Jolly cries as he testifies in court Thursday in Houston. He was sentenced to six years in prison. Credit: AP

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Suspended Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly might never play football again after a Houston judge sentenced him to six years in prison for violating the terms of probation from a drug arrest.

Judge Denise Bradley rejected Jolly's plea to kick a codeine addiction in a rehabilitation center and sent him to prison for a third arrest in three years, including a drug charge still pending and set to be heard Dec. 13.

Jolly, 28, had entered into a deferred prosecution agreement after the second charge, but when he was arrested again Oct. 1, the judge decided he deserved to go to prison. The prosecution had pushed for prison time because it believed he was not trying to change his lifestyle.

"They had marijuana. He had a gun. He was headed to a strip club. That's not somebody that's really trying to change the way they live or trying to learn from their past mistakes," prosecutor Tracy Bennett said, according to Houston TV station KTRK.

Jolly, with tears in his eyes, asked the judge to spare him from jail time.

"I want to go to rehab to get help," Jolly said, according to KTRK. "I don't want to go to prison. I lost everything I've gained. I just want peace back in my life."

After the sentence, Jolly's mother, Phyllis, screamed, the TV station reported.

Jolly was suspended until at least after Super Bowl XLV by commissioner Roger Goodell after his second arrest. There was no indication he was close to being reinstated when he was arrested for a third time.

The Packers had been mum regarding their interest in Jolly returning to football, but general manager Ted Thompson issued a statement after Jolly was sentenced.

"We were saddened to hear the latest news concerning Johnny Jolly," Thompson said. "He was a good teammate and part of the Packers family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Johnny during this difficult time."

Thompson drafted Jolly in the seventh round in 2006 and the Texas A&M product went on to start 39 of 48 games in which he played. He had 113 tackles, two sacks, an interception and 17 deflected passes.

His last season was in 2009.

According to KTRK, Jolly might be eligible for parole in as soon as 14 months. It's not known how the charges he faces Dec. 13 might affect his prison sentence.

Jolly recently granted an interview to ESPN for its "Outside the Lines" program and in it he talked of being addicted to codeine and unable to stop. He said he was alone getting drunk while he watched the Packers win Super Bowl XLV.

His attorney, Letitia Quinones, had several people close to Jolly testify in his behalf to try to convince the judge not to send him to prison.

"My concern is that he will give up," she told KTRK. "He has an addiction and my concern is that he's going to believe no one cares enough to help."

Jolly received a signing bonus of $94,000 after he was drafted and played for base salaries of $275,000, $360,000, $445,000 and $1.01 million.. He was scheduled to make $2.521 million in 2010 after Thompson put a first-round restricted free agent tender on him.

When Jolly was suspended on July 16, his contract was tolled and he was not paid any of the $2.521 million.