The Kansas City Chiefs cut ties with defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs following his latest legal issue, according to a report by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
“Buggs’ bond was revoked after his most recent arrest and he’s currently in jail as multiple legal cases play out,” Pelissero tweeted on Monday, June 24. “Bigger issues to worry about than football, and Kansas City is moving on.”
Tuscaloosa County (Alabama) Sheriff’s Office arrest records show Buggs was arrested June 16 and charged with second-degree domestic violence/burglary. In district court documents, the Alabama alum was released on a $5,000 bond, according to The Athletic’s Lukas Weese.
“Buggs allegedly entered the apartment of Yamya Johnson ‘unlawfully’ and with the ‘intent to commit a crime,’ according to the documents,” Weese wrote. “According to police, Buggs broke into the apartment with a tire iron and dragged Johnson down the stairs, causing ‘scratch marks’ on her wrists. Buggs then left the apartment, according to the court documents.”
Tuscaloosa Patch reported, “The latest charge against Buggs is a Class B felony punishable with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.”
Fans had called for the Chiefs to cut Buggs following his second offseason arrest. Buggs is officially a free agent, but considering his circumstances, it’s hard to imagine another team signing him any time soon.
Kansas City has dealt with numerous off-the-field legal issues this offseason, most notably with wide receiver Rashee Rice. Rice faces eight felony charges from a six-vehicle car crash on March 30. The NFL is expected to suspend Rice, however, the length and timing of the suspension remain unclear.
Former Chiefs DT Isaiah Buggs Faces Animal Cruelty Charges
Buggs turned himself into the Tuscaloosa County Jail on May 30, ESPN reported, after two misdemeanor warrants were filed against him for animal cruelty.
Patch reported that the Tuscaloosa Police Department filed a civil petition after they received “information of two dogs being left on the back porch of 5153 Diamond Circle.”
“They found a gray and white pitbull on the screened-in back porch surrounded in feces, with no access to food or water,” the outlet reported. “Those responding reported finding a black Rottweiler mix locked in a metal cage in direct sunlight with no access to food or water.”
Trey Robinson, Buggs’ agent, spoke on behalf of his 27-year-old client, saying Buggs “vehemently denies the truthfulness” of these allegations and charges in a statement to Pelissero. “The dogs at issue did not belong to him and he was unaware they remained at the property in question.”
Robinson claimed the charges are “part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs’ name and reputation as part of an ongoing subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge.”
In a separate incident on April 14, Buggs was accused of physically assaulting Tuscaloosa’s chief of police following an incident at Kings Hookah Lounge, Patch reported. The police took Buggs into custody. “His bond was set at $1,600,” the outlet reported, “and he was released shortly thereafter.”
Isaiah Buggs Signed With the Chiefs in January, Received a 2024 Super Bowl Ring
Buggs did not suit up for a Chiefs game last season. However, he received a 2024 Super Bowl ring during the black-tie gala held at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on June 13.
Buggs first signed with the Chiefs in January, joining Kansas City’s practice squad. The Alabama alum remained on the practice squad during the Chiefs’ postseason run to becoming back-to-back Super Bowl champions. Pelissero reported on February 13 that Kansas City signed Buggs to a futures contract.
Originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft, his best season came in 2022. That year, he recorded 46 total tackles, 10 quarterback hits and 1 forced fumble with the Detroit Lions.
Throughout his five-year career, Buggs registered 89 total tackles, 12 quarterback hits, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
