New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers has been banned from both playing and practicing with the team after he allegedly strangled his girlfriend and pushed her down the stairs during an argument over sex.
On Saturday morning, Peppers was arrested after allegedly strangling and assaulting his on-and-off girlfriend with a deadly weapon, and police reports also indicate that cocaine was found in his wallet during the arrest, as per a Daily Mail report.
According to police reports, Peppers’ girlfriend claims the incident occurred around 4 a.m. after she received a phone call that the NFL star “didn’t like” while they were being intimate earlier in the day.
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Peppers allegedly demanded that she leave his apartment, went on to choke her six times, and then pushed her head against the wall while they were both naked.
Court documents state that Peppers then allegedly pushed her down a set of stairs and also threw her handbag and cellphone onto her.
Following these allegations, Peppers, 29, has been placed on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list, barring him from participating in games or even practicing with the Patriots.
The player has however remained silent amid the situation. His attorney said : “He is not going to comment now, but what I said in the courtroom, I’ll repeat.”
The NFL star is facing charges of assault and battery, assault and battery with a deadly weapon, strangulation, and possession of cocaine, in a Class B drug.
Pepper however claims that footage from his home will exonerate him. He was seen for the first time since the arrest on Monday, as he left the Quincy District Court.
His attorney also insisted that they have evidence contradicting the alleged victim’s story, and his name will soon be cleared amid the concerning situation.
“We have evidence that completely contradicts the alleged victim’s story, and I expect my client to be fully exonerated,” the attorney said. Pepper’s attorney was then asked if the evidence was video footage, and he replied, saying : “Yes, and other evidence as well.”
The banned NFL star, who turned 29 only hours prior to his arrest, had played in the first four games of the Patriots’ season.
He was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns in 2017 after a standout college career at Michigan, and back in 2019, he moved on to the New York Giants, where he played for three seasons before joining the Patriots.
The Patriots have also released a statement following Peppers’ arrest, which writes: “We are aware of an incident involving Jabrill Peppers over the weekend in which the police are currently investigating. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo also left his thoughts on the situation and said, : “He called me that morning. I knew what was going on. We’ve informed the NFL and we’re still gathering information. I don’t think anyone knows the facts or anything like that. It’s a process.”
Peppers did not play in the Patriots’ Sunday loss to the Miami Dolphins due to a shoulder injury, and his future role in the team remains unclear as he is set to appear in Quincy District Court for arraignment on Monday.
For the NFL star banned, the situation could have a completely negative impact on his career, yet he will be hopeful of clearing his name, as he claimed hidden footage will see him exonerated.
