The Kansas City Chiefs have dropped defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs following multiple incidents this offseason, including allegations of domestic violence and animal cruelty.
The 27-year-old player, who signed a $1,292,500 contract with Kansas City for the upcoming season, has been arrested twice in two months in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.
News of Buggs’ departure from the reigning Super Bowl champions was revealed on Monday by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
It comes after Buggs was arrested on June 16 on a charge of domestic violence/burglary in Alabama. He was later released on a $5,000 bond, according to records from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, though no other details were provided.
In May Buggs turned himself in to the sheriff’s office after he was charged with two misdemeanor counts of second-degree animal cruelty.
The Tuscaloosa Police Department found two dogs that were “seriously malnourished” and “emaciated” on the back porch of a house that Buggs had rented, according to court documents.
The court filings reported that a neighbor said a pit bull and a Rottweiler mix had been left there for at least 10 days and had no access to food or water. The pit bull was eventually put down.
At the time a Chiefs spokesman told The Associated Press that the team was aware of the situation, but declined to comment.
Buggs’ agent, Trey Robinson, issued a statement to the AP saying that the player “vehemently denies” the allegations and that the dogs didn’t belong to him. “Under no circumstances does Mr Buggs condone the mistreatment of any animal,” Robinson said.
Buggs, a run-stuffing tackle out of Alabama, played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers before spending the past two with the Detroit Lions. He has started 23 games and appeared in 56 in his career, with 89 tackles and two sacks.
The Chiefs were planning to use Buggs to shore up the middle of their defensive line.
The side are aiming for a record third Super Bowl in a row, but have had to deal with a series of off-the-field legal issues since beating the San Francisco 49ers in February.
Wide receiver Rashee Rice faces eight felony charges from a high-speed crash in Dallas, and offensive linemen Chukwuebuka Godrick and Wanya Morris were arrested last month in Johnson County, Kansas, on a misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
