New England Patriots safety and team captain Jabrill Peppers on has been placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, days after the team captain was charged with assault, strangulation and drug possession following an incident at his Braintree home early Saturday morning.
The girlfriend of Peppers has accused him of choking her, hitting her head against a wall and pushing her down a flight of stairs during a domestic dispute at Peppers' Braintree apartment in the early hours of Saturday, Oct. 5, the day after Peppers turned 29.
Peppers was charged with assault and battery on an intimate partner, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation and possession of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Quincy District Court on Monday and was released on $2,500 cash bail.
Peppers told Braintree police that he and his girlfriend were arguing, and he was trying to get her to leave his apartment. He denied putting his hands on her, according to the police report.
"He said that she was making those allegations to destroy his career," the report reads.
What is the NFL exempt list?
According to the NFL Player Personnel Policy Manual, the exempt list is "a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances" and is a version of paid leave.
Only the commissioner of the NFL has the authority to place a player on the exempt list. The commissioner also has the authority to determine whether a player's time on the exempt list will be finite or if the exemption should be lifted.
Peppers may not practice or attend games while on the list.
What does the police report say?
Responding officers found Peppers' girlfriend sitting barefoot outside his Liberty Street apartment, according to the report. She said her boyfriend hit her, choked her, took off her clothing and put her outside.
She said Peppers choked her at least six times but she did not lose consciousness, the report says.
"My boyfriend put his hands on my neck and smashed my head against the wall," she is quoted as saying in the police report. "Then he pushed me down the stairs, and that's how I got these injuries."
She showed officers scratches on her kneecaps and redness on the right side of her face. According to the report, she was icing her head when EMS arrived.
She told officers that she and Peppers had been dating on and off for three years.
She and Peppers gave contrasting accounts of how the domestic dispute began.
She told officers the two were being intimate when her cellphone rang, at which point Peppers grew angry and ordered her out of the apartment, the police report says.
He then pushed her, undressed, from the bedroom, the report says. At the doorway, he put his hands on her neck and pushed her head against the wall, she told officers. He then pushed her down the stairs, causing scratches to her kneecaps, according to her account narrated in the police report.
As she was being rushed out of the apartment, she put on Peppers' sweatpants. She said he came downstairs and "ripped off his pants from her and demanded her to leave," according to the report.
Peppers complied with arresting officers at the scene, the report says. He told police that the argument arose when she didn't want him to use contraception during intimacy.
According to Peppers, he tried to defuse the situation, asked her to leave several times and never touched her during the quarrel, according to the report.
While police took inventory of Peppers' possessions, a plastic bag containing a white substance was found. Peppers' admitted that it contained cocaine, and testing confirmed his statement, according to the report.
Who is Jabrill Peppers?
Jabrill Peppers is a safety for the New England Patriots. The 29-year-old has played for the team since 2022. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2017.
He is one of only a handful of players who wears a guardian cap, additional padding that could be put over a helmet, during the regular season in games.
Patriots vs Miami Dolphins: Jabrill Pepper's shoulder injury
Peppers did not play Sunday in the Patriots' 15-10 loss against the Miami Dolphins. He was ruled out for a shoulder injury prior to his arrest.
Where is Jabrill Peppers from?
He is originally from East Orange, New Jersey, and played college football at the University of Michigan.
How much does Jabrill Peppers make?
In July, Peppers signed a three-year contract extension with the team worth an estimated $24 million through 2027, of which $11.68 million is guaranteed, according to spotrac.com.
Peppers will receive $10 million in 2024, including a base salary of $3.18 million, a signing bonus of $6 million and a workout bonus of $140,000.
Peppers is due back in Quincy District Court on Nov. 22.
(This story was updated to add photos. This story was updated to add new information.)
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