An NFL player recently arrested for domestic violence is causing students and fans to make an ethical decision.
On October 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 October 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 safety, signed with the New England Patriots in 2022, and was made captain in 2024.
Davi McDonald, Williston’s quarterback, is a senior boarder from Holyoke, Mass. He believes that players’ private lives should have an impact on 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,” said Davi. “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, October 7. At the court appearance, he pleaded not guilty. His next court date is November 22.
Sean Croft, a Williston offensive lineman, is a sophomore boarder from Marshfield, Mass. “[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,” said Sean.
Following his arrest, Peppers was placed on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List. He is prohibited from attending practices or games while on the list. He is 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,” Sean said.
On October 12, Patriots owner Robert Kraft stated, “If what is reported is true, he’s gone,” according to Boston.com.
Jayson Leigh is the Defensive Coordinator for the Williston football team, and he is also the Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). Before starting his work at Williston in 2021, he played football for 16 years before ending his career after his senior year at St. Lawrence University. Mr. Leigh, better known as “Coach Leigh” to students and faculty, has a controversial 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,” he 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, the Patriots head coach, made a statement in a press conference on October 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.”