The Pittsburgh Steelers traded troubled wide receiver Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets for a fifth-round pick in next week's NFL draft, sources confirmed Sunday night.
ESPN 1050 in New York first reported the story. Holmes was contacted late Sunday and told that he had been traded to New York, sources said.
Holmes is facing a civil lawsuit in Florida from a woman who claims he threw a glass at her, cutting her above the eye, in an Orlando nightclub. The police also have been investigating the woman's claims. Holmes denies hurting the woman, and a witness has since taken responsibility for tossing the glass, according to Holmes' lawyer.
The player has run into trouble before this offseason. He was cited for marijuana possession, a misdemeanor, in Pennsylvania in 2008. The Steelers made Holmes inactive for the game following the incident and he subsequently apologized. In 2006, he was arrested on a domestic violence charge in Ohio, but that charge was later dropped.
In four seasons in Pittsburgh, the 26-year-old Holmes -- the MVP of the 2009 Super Bowl -- had 235 catches for 3,835 yards and 20 touchdowns.
In New York, Holmes gives quarterback Mark Sanchez another big-time target to throw to in an offense that already had Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, promising tight end Dustin Keller and recently signed running back LaDainian Tomlinson.