Former Packers tight end Colt Lyerla was captured on Friday morning after escaping from jail on Thursday afternoon.
Lyerla, who had been in an Oregon minimum-security facility on drug and forgery charges, was found to be the only inmate missing after an alarm went off at 4:55 p.m. on Thursday. On Friday, police responded to a call at 11:15 a.m. of a man overdosing on drugs. It was Lyerla, who attempted to flee when police arrived but was captured and taken to a hospital for treatment.
At one point in his career at Oregon, Lyerla showed so much promise that he was discussed as a potential first-round draft pick. But he had a series of off-field incidents, was suspended by the team and eventually quit before declaring for the NFL draft. He went undrafted but signed with the Packers, where he suffered a season-ending injury in his first training camp and never played in the NFL again.
Lyerla now faces a felony charge of second-degree escape.