Former Browns star charged with strangulation, assault and drug possession

Former Cleveland Browns safety Jabrill Peppers was arrested Saturday in Massachusetts on charges including assault, strangulation and drug possession, police said Monday.

Peppers, captain of the New England Patriots, did not play in the team's 10-15 home loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. He was ruled out of Sunday's game by the Patriots on Saturday after being limited in practice last week with a shoulder injury.

Peppers was arrested Saturday, a day after his 29th birthday. The eight-year NFL veteran is charged with “assault, assault with a dangerous weapon, strangulation and possession of a Class B substance suspected to be cocaine,” according to police in Baintree, Massachusetts.

Police said they responded to a report of an altercation between two people at a residential address early Saturday morning, ESPN reports. The alleged victim was treated at the scene by emergency services.

According to NBC10 Boston, Peppers was arraigned in Quincy District Court in Massachusetts on Monday and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He posted $2,500 bail on all charges and was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.

The Patriots released a statement Monday confirming Pepper's arrest.

“We are aware of an incident involving Jabrill Peppers over the weekend that police are currently investigating,” the Patriots said, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “We will have no further comment at this time.”

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo also confirmed Peppers' arrest and said the team captain called him Saturday.

“He called me that morning. I knew what was going on,” Mayo told sports radio WEEI in Boston on Monday. “We notified the NFL of what was going on and are still gathering information. … I don't think anyone knows the facts or anything like that. It’s a process.”

Peppers is in his third season with the Patriots. He previously played three seasons with the New York Giants and his first two NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns, who drafted the former University of Michigan standout in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Peppers was traded from the Browns to the Giants in March 2019 as part of the blockbuster trade for star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.