Maryland Football Player Who Spent 27 Days In Jail Slams Helmet In Rage After Getting Ejected For Punch

Maryland defensive back Dontay Joyner was suspended for the first five games of the 2026-27 college football season. He was ejected from his fourth game back on Saturday due to a personal foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The disqualification appeared to stem from a punch to the head.

Unfortunately, there is a history of poor behavior with this specific college football player. Joyner will need to learn from his mistakes.

Dontay Joyner was allowed back on the college football team after an arrest.

Joyner, a former three-star prospect in the recruiting Class of 2023, spent the first two years of his career at Arkansas State. He transferred to Maryland in 2025 and finished as the team’s sixth-leading tackler last season. The Terrapins were excited about his potential as a true senior. And then he got arrested during the offseason.

Head coach Mike Locksley said during a press conference at the beginning of August that Dontay Joyner was no longer with the college football program at the University of Maryland. The decision stemmed from a guilty plea in June.

According to court documents, Joyner harassed his then-girlfriend over the phone. That included more than 90 phone calls in the days leading up to his arrest and text messages in which he threatened to shoot her. He was arrested on June 11. He spent 27 days in jail and later pleaded guilty to telephone misuse.

The Terrapins’ starting cornerback was removed from the roster prior to fall camp. Locksley said that he needed a “fresh start” somewhere else and vowed to help him find another program because “he’s a guy that deserves another chance.”

However, Joyner rejoined the college football program at the beginning of September and enrolled in classes. Locksley said that he invited the defensive back to address his former teammates about his mistakes at a team meeting during training camp.

Three senior leaders approached the head coach after the meeting and asked if Joyner could be allowed to return. Locksley let him.

Maryland’s defensive back threw a punch and got ejected.

Although Dontay Joyner was put back on the roster, he was required to serve a five-game suspension. Saturday’s game against Purdue, which was also the first game without Mike Locksley as head coach, was the senior defensive back’s fourth game back.

It came to an early end.

Joyner got into an altercation with a group of Boilermakers on the game’s opening drive. The officials determined that he committed a personal foul and called him for unsportsmanlike conduct. They also threw him out of the game just two minutes into the first quarter. Joyner was furious with the disqualification and threw his helmet down on the sideline.