Yahoo Sport 
Embattled Former NFL Star Earl Thomas' Texas Home Catches Fire
Earl Thomas was home when the fire broke out, fire officials said. (Photo: Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Former NFL player Earl Thomas’ Texas home erupted in a massive blaze Thursday, local media reported.
Fire department officials told reporters they believe the Orange, Texas, home went up in flames because of a lightning strike. KFDM News, a local CBS affiliate on the scene, reported that Thomas was home with his mother and another relative when he heard a loud “pop” sound and then saw flames go up.
DEVELOPING | Former NFL star Earl Thomas' home in Orange catches fire Thursday evening. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Stick with 12News for updates.
📸: E.J. Williams pic.twitter.com/16ZwyAFOfE— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) August 11, 2022
As of Thursday evening, firefighters had not been able to totally put out the blaze. The city’s deputy fire chief, Payton Smith, told KFDM that trees and other foliage on the property complicated the work of putting out the flames.
Thomas, a free agent who previously played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Baltimore Ravens, has had a tumultuous past few years. In 2020, his wife held him at gunpoint after she caught him cheating on her, and she subsequently filed for divorce.
NFL teams have also reportedly refused to sign Thomas, who hasn’t played since 2020 despite many considering him to be one of the league’s most prized players, reportedly because of his bad attitude toward his teammates, tendency to show up late to practices and miss meetings, and refusal to follow directions on the field.
In May, Thomas was arrested for allegedly violating a court protective order by sending threatening messages to a woman about her and her children.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
