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New England Patriots defensive back and team captain Jabrill Peppers was arrested on October 5, when Braintree police were summoned to his home following a distress call from a woman identifying herself as his girlfriend. The woman claimed that Peppers strangled her multiple times.
During the investigation, the police found what was believed to be cocaine on the scene and placed Peppers under arrest. Charges of assault, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation and possession have been brought against Peppers because of this incident. He posted a $2,500 bond and was released following a court appearance before a judge in Quincy District Court on Monday, at which he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Patriots management and the NFL both claim to be investigating the Peppers situation and have reserved comment for the moment. As he left court on Monday, Peppers’ attorney told reporters, “We had evidence that completely contradict the alleged victim’s story, and I expect that my client will be completely exonerated.”
The bigger question surrounding this situation is the on-going violence and drug behavior that are so pervasive in the National Football League today. We rarely get through a few weeks without reading about another NFL player being involved in a situation of domestic violence, drugs, or some other form of abhorrent behavior. Jabrill Peppers adds his name to the list.
As disturbing as the drug arrest in this story is, the more alarming issue is the reported domestic violence part of the equation. The National Football League has taken a firmer stance on domestic violence issues since the high-profile cases involving running backs Ray Rice and Kareem Hunt became front page headlines years ago. A look back at decades of divorce cases involving NFL players and abused spouses show a litany of violence and drug abuse, much of which was hidden from public scrutiny.
The NFL had a pretty bad historical record on this issue. Rice has long since left the NFL, after being caught on tape assaulting his then fiancée in an elevator in 2014.
Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel also faced domestic violence charges in Texas for assaulting his girlfriend. According to court documents, the victim said that “Manziel struck her so hard that she temporarily lost hearing in one ear.”
While Kareem Hunt found a way back into the NFL and to the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that released him after graphic video of him knocking a woman to the ground and kicking her while she was on the ground became a national news story.
A more recent story of Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller assaulting his pregnant girlfriend resulted in a four-game suspension for Miller. When asked about the incident, he said, “Me and my girlfriend, we have problems just like any other couple does, but there has never been any of those things that was alleged against me.”
Miller added, “Hopefully, over time, all of this stuff will get cleared up. Sometimes life just be life-ing. You’ve just got to keep pushing and keep moving. The people who know me and the people who have been around me know my character, they know who I am.”
The Jabrill Peppers story put the NFL’s domestic violence issue back in the headlines again. While the league claims to take the issue seriously, women’s groups and society in general are calling for stiffer penalties for violations. Their legitimate concerns will probably fall on deaf ears, but their fight must remain a frontline issue.
The management of the National Football League and NFL Players Association must be made to fully understand the seriousness and consequences surrounding domestic violence and drug issues and deal with it. Until that occurs, we can expect more stories like Jabrill Peppers to be brought to light.
