Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs was recently charged with two misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty. And just one day after receiving the charges, he has turned himself into the police.
For those who may be unfamiliar with the case, the Tuscaloosa Police Department received a report of two dogs being left on the back porch of a home being rented by Buggs. Officers and animal control then found a gray and white pit bull and a black rottweiler on a screened-in back porch with no access to food or water. This is according to court documents of the charges, shared by ESPN.
Both dogs appeared malnourished and neglected, according to the court documents and the residence appeared to be abandoned.
On Thursday, Buggs turned himself into the police and was later released on a $600 bond. He faces a court hearing on the matter next month, and it remains to be seen how this could potentially affect his NFL future.
Buggs has spent five seasons in the NFL across two different teams. Last year, he found himself on the Chiefs practice squad before signing a futures deal with the team this offseason.
Considering Buggs isn’t on some sort of long-term deal, it seems very possible that we could see the Chiefs cut ties with Buggs. Especially if any more evidence is presented against him in the coming weeks before his court date.
Buggs maintains his innocence in the case. His agent, Trey Robinson, denied the charges on his behalf in a statement.
“Under no circumstance does Mr. Buggs condone the mistreatment of any animal,” Robinson said in a statement. “The dogs at issue did not belong to him, and he was unaware they remained at the property in question.”
[ESPN]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.