Less than a month after Maryland football coach Michael Locksley said Dontay Joyner needed a “fresh start” somewhere else, that fresh start is apparently back in College Park. The cornerback has rejoined the Terps, a Maryland Athletics spokesperson confirmed to The Baltimore Sun. Inside Maryland Sports first reported the news Wednesday. “Senior defensive back Dontay Joyner has rejoined the Maryland football team,” Maryland’s team spokesperson said. “He is currently enrolled in classes and practicing with the team, but will not participate in game action until further notice.” It is a striking reversal from Aug. 5, when Locksley announced that he and Joyner had mutually agreed to part ways following an offseason arrest and guilty plea for telephone misuse in a harassment case involving Joyner’s former girlfriend. According to court documents previously obtained by The Sun, Joyner called her more than 90 times in the days leading to his arrest and sent text messages in which he threatened to shoot her. His charge for electronic communication harassment was dropped. At the time, Locksley said Maryland would help Joyner find another program. “He’s a guy that deserves another chance,” Locksley said then. That second chance will instead come at Maryland. Locksley said Wednesday on the Inside Maryland Sports Radio Show that Joyner’s path back began during training camp, when he allowed the defensive back to return as a guest speaker and address his former teammates about his mistakes. Maryland regularly brings speakers into camp — Locksley mentioned Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps as one example — and Locksley said one recurring issue he emphasizes with players is interpersonal relationships and how they treat women. Joyner returned only to speak to the team, Locksley said, with no indication that he could eventually rejoin the program. “Who would be better than talking to a bunch of young players than a guy who’s lost his scholarship, lost his NIL, lost a lot of the respect some people had for him for what he went through?” Locksley said. After Joyner spoke, Locksley said three senior leaders, along with members of Maryland’s leadership council, approached him and asked that Joyner be allowed to return. “We feel like Dontay has a support system here at Maryland, which is us, and being here is the best thing for him,” Locksley said the players told him. “We want to take ownership.” “Sometimes people, especially young people, make mistakes and the second chance can be life-changing,” Locksley said. Joyner was arrested June 11 in Harford County after his then-girlfriend contacted police amid an argument over their breakup. Court records said Joyner drove from Laurel toward Edgewood to confront her before police stopped him. Investigators later found that he continued trying to contact her after his arrest. Joyner spent 27 days in jail before pleading guilty on July 8 to telephone misuse. He received time served and three years of supervised probation. A judge also ordered Joyner to undergo a mental health evaluation, enroll in an abuse intervention program and have no contact with his former girlfriend. Those were the circumstances under which Maryland and Joyner appeared to close the door on their relationship in early August. But Locksley said he took the players’ request to athletic director Jim Smith and other university officials, who ultimately supported Joyner’s return. Locksley characterized the push to bring him back as player-driven rather than a decision he initiated himself. “That wasn’t a Coach Locks decision,” Locksley said. “I take credit in that I could have shut it down.” Maryland in the meantime began planning without one of its best returning defensive backs. Joyner started every game in 2025 and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition after recording 40 tackles, two interceptions and a team-high eight pass breakups. One interception became a 67-yard touchdown return against Nebraska. Locksley did not pretend his departure was insignificant. Related Articles
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“Huge loss for us, man,” he said Aug. 5. “Dontay Joyner is a big-time football player. You don’t just replace some of the production that he had a year ago.” The Terps nevertheless moved to do exactly that. On Aug. 17, Maryland added West Virginia transfer Jordan Scruggs, a veteran cornerback who has appeared in 35 college games with 20 starts. Scruggs made 32 tackles last season and returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown against Houston. He joined a cornerback room that also includes Jamare Glasker, Ricardo Cooper Jr. and Boston College transfer Amari Jackson. Now Joyner is back in that room, too. Locksley did not provide a timetable for when he might play Wednesday night. For now, Joyner is back less than three months after his arrest, less than two months after his guilty plea and less than one month after Maryland publicly said goodbye. The Terps open their season Saturday night against Hampton. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes.