Chiefs to release Isaiah Buggs after second arrest this offseason

The Kansas City Chiefs are releasing defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs after he was arrested and accused of dragging a woman, who is the mother of his child, down the stairs of her apartment earlier this month, a team source confirmed.

NFL Network was the first to report the news of Buggs’ release.

Buggs was booked early on June 16 on a second-degree domestic violence charge and a second-degree burglary charge. He was released on a $5,000 bond, according to Tuscaloosa County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office records. Police say Buggs allegedly broke into the apartment with a tire iron and dragged the woman down the stairs, causing “scratch marks” on her wrists.

That arrest was his second this offseason. In late May, Buggs was accused of animal cruelty in Tuscaloosa, according to a civil petition obtained by The Athletic.

Tuscaloosa police received information on March 28 about two dogs left on the back porch of a home that investigators found was rented by Buggs, per the petition. Witnesses said Buggs recently moved out of the house, and investigators determined Buggs’ lease was terminated in April because he owed more than $3,100 in back rent.

The dogs were taken from the house because they were “severely malnourished, emaciated, neglected and the residence appearing to be abandoned,” per the petition. An animal shelter later euthanized the pit bull after it became increasingly aggressive and failed heartworm treatment, while the Rottweiler mix — which arrived at a low weight of 52 pounds and tested positive for a viral illness — remained at the shelter, the petition said.

Authorities obtained two misdemeanor warrants against Buggs for second-degree cruelty to dogs or cats, with the petition requesting the court set a hearing date within 10 days to determine whether Buggs is fit to have custody of the Rottweiler mix.

Buggs, 27, signed a futures contract with the Chiefs in February after spending last season on their practice squad. He played two seasons with the Detroit Lions and three with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers selected Buggs in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. In his NFL career, Buggs has recorded 89 tackles and two sacks.

(Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)