Although he seemed to confirm that he was responsible for the injuries made to his girlfriend during a violent incident on January 23, former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Chad Wheeler has entered a not guilty plea in court. The 27-year-old professional football player has been heavily criticized after details regarding the domestic violence incident involving his ex-girlfriend circulated online.
Wheeler, who stands at 6'7" tall, previously issued a statement once photos showing his accuser battered and bruised went viral. "I apologize profusely for the turmoil that I have caused to my family, teammates, fans and those closest to me," Wheeler said. "The most important thing right now is that [the alleged victim] gets the care she needs and I get help. Both are happening."
He was hit with first-degree domestic violence assault, domestic violence unlawful imprisonment, and resisting arrest, and during an arraignment on Monday (February 1), Wheeler has pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, a police report obtained by The Seattle Times states that the alleged victim had fingerprints on both sides of her neck, her left arm was swollen, and her face was bloodied. It has been reported that she was choked until she was unconscious and when she awoke, Wheeler was seated at a table eating food and reportedly remarked that he was surprised that she was still alive.
Wheeler has agreed to surrender any weapons he owns and has been ordered to stay away from his accuser. Prosecutors have stated, "The defendant, who is physically conditioned and trained to compete at the highest level of professional sports, strangled, suffocated and beat the victim into unconsciousness -- twice -- both times leaving her for dead as blood poured from her nose and mouth, and into her stomach and lungs."
As he's preparing for the Super Bowl, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce was asked by the press to share thoughts on Wheeler's scandal, and he reportedly got choked up. “I don’t even want to talk about it. It has nothing to do with the NFL. It’s ridiculous that a guy like that even had a job. He shouldn’t have been..." Kelce said before changing his thought.
“What’s happened with that young lady, there’s no reason for that in this world," he added. "And he should be dealt with accordingly. I don’t even want to talk about that. It’s a very touchy subject... I think everybody understands that that’s just flat-out wrong.”
