NFL puts Patriots’ Jabrill Peppers on exempt list after charges

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The NFL placed New England Patriots starting safety Jabrill Peppers on the commissioner exempt list, the league announced Wednesday.

Peppers may not practice or attend games while on the list.

Peppers pleaded not guilty Monday after he was arrested Saturday on charges that include strangulation and drug possession, according to police in Braintree, Massachusetts.

“I just want to be clear — any act of domestic violence is unacceptable for us as a team, whether you’re a player, staff member. We’re wholeheartedly against any type of domestic violence. I know the organization’s position, which I fully support,” coach Jerod Mayo said Wednesday.

“With that being said, I do think that Jabrill has to continue to go through due process. We’ll see how that works out. The league has put him on the exempt list, and that will give us time to gather more information going forward. At this time, he is not in the building and we’ll talk about that at a later time. As a father of three daughters, I definitely understand the seriousness of the allegations and hopefully they’re not true.”

Peppers, who turned 29 on Oct. 4, is a team captain and in his eighth NFL season. This is his third season with the Patriots.

Police announced Peppers’ arrest Monday, saying they responded to a disturbance at a residential address early Saturday morning when a caller indicated there was an altercation between two people.

Peppers was charged with “assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a Class B substance believed to be cocaine.”

According to Braintree police, the woman alleged that Peppers hit her, choked her “at least six times,” took off her clothing and put her outside. Police also said Peppers shoved the woman to the ground, shoved her head into a wall and put his hands around her neck to strangle her.

Peppers answered the door shirtless, nodding his head and telling police, “I know what is going on,” according to documents. He was arrested without incident.

The police report also said that officers confiscated a “clear bag containing white powder,” which later tested positive for cocaine.

Police said the woman was treated at home for injuries to her face and knees.

The woman told police that she and Peppers had been dating “on and off” for about three years.

Peppers pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Quincy (Massachusetts) District Court on Monday morning. He posted $2,500 bail and was ordered to stay away from the woman.

Peppers’ attorney, Marc Brofsky, told the court that evidence in the case “sheds real doubt on the allegations, including videotaped evidence.” He said Peppers agreed to not have contact with the woman.

The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 22, but Peppers was allowed to waive his appearance.

The Patriots’ next game is Sunday at home against the Houston Texans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.