An NFL player recently arrested for domestic violence is forcing students and fans to make an ethical decision.
On Oct. 5, New England Patriots captain Jabrill Peppers was accused of assault, strangulation, and cocaine possession. On that Saturday evening in Braintree, Mass., Peppers told the police that he became upset when someone called his girlfriend’s phone while they were having sex.
NBC10 reported that the New Jersey native, “smashed her head against the wall, pushed her down the stairs, and choked her at least six times.” Other sources reported this happened before he took off her clothing and forced her outside.
His girlfriend’s name has not been released to the public.
Peppers, 29, was born on Oct. 4, 1995 in East Orange, N.J. He played football at the University of Michigan, before being drafted to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. Peppers, a strong safety, signed with the New England Patriots in 2022, and was made captain in 2024.
Davi McDonald, Williston’s quarterback and captain, believes that players’ private lives should impact their status on the field.
“As a player, you have to exemplify good character at all times, whether you’re on the field or off the field,” Davi, from Holyoke, Mass., said. “People look up to professional athletes, and they’re supposed to be role models for kids – so if you’re messing up, it’s a bad look, and people are gonna look at you in a bad light.”
According to CBS Sports, Peppers was arraigned on Monday, Oct. 7. At the court appearance, he pleaded not guilty. His next court date is Nov. 22.
Sean Croft, a Williston offensive lineman, emphasized how, “[Kids] look up to somebody like Jabrill Peppers who’s a captain, and [for] kids [hearing] that he’s punching and beating up his girlfriend, it’s not a good look for younger children and younger audiences,” he said.
Following his arrest, Peppers was placed on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List. While on this list, players are prohibited from attending practices or games. Players typically end up on the Exempt List due to unusual circumstances, often not related to on-field play. Peppers will remain on the list until the police conduct a further investigation confirming or disproving the accusations.
Sean argues that Peppers’ current playing status should remain until action is taken.
“Until his entire sentence, court date, trial is over, he should not be allowed to [practice] and [play] games,” he said.
On Oct. 12, Patriots owner Robert Kraft stated, “If what is reported is true, he’s gone,” according to Boston.com.
Jayson Leigh, the Defensive Coordinator for the Williston Football team, played football for 16 years, ending his career after his senior year at St. Lawrence University. Leigh, known on campus as “Coach Leigh,” has a different perspective on the NFL as a whole.
“As a former athlete, and a coach now, the amount of money that these men and women are making, they are role models whether they want to be or not,” Leigh, who is also Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, said. “One of the reasons why I don’t love the NFL is because it’s a business, and they’re always trying to protect their brand, so they have to do those things in order to make sure they continue to make money and continue their brand.”
By “those things,” Leigh is referring to placing players on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List.
Jerod Mayo, Patriots Head Coach, made a statement in a press conference on Oct. 9, following the arrest.
“I just want to be clear that really any act of domestic violence is unacceptable for us,” he said. “As a team, no matter if you’re a player, staff member, we’re wholeheartedly against any type of domestic violence. As a father of three daughters, I definitely understand the seriousness of the allegations, and hopefully, they’re not true.”