Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Chad Wheeler has been dropped from the team amid a domestic violence allegation and arrest in Washington state last week.
Wheeler, 27, was arrested by Kent Police on Friday after a friend of a woman called 911 to report she was locked in a bathroom following a fight, according to a police report. The report stated the woman called 911 shortly after to say “she was being ‘killed’” and was heard screaming as officers arrived at the scene.
Officers forced their way into the apartment and attempted to detain Wheeler, who initially resisted, according to the report. Officers arrested Wheeler, who said “’I don’t beat women!’ after being detained, according to the report.
Wheeler’s bail was set at $400,000 and was released Tuesday morning, according to county jail records seen by NBC News. It is unclear if he has retained a lawyer. Wheeler’s agent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Seattle Seahawks has Wheeler listed on their roster as of Wednesday morning but announced in the afternoon that Wheeler is no longer with the team.
“The Seahawks are saddened by the details emerging against Chad Wheeler and strongly condemn this act of domestic violence,” the team said. “Our thoughts and support are with the victim. Chad is a free agent and no longer with the team.”
Wheeler was set to go into restricted free agency beginning in March.
The NFL said in a statement that it was aware of the matter and reviewing it under the league’s personal conduct policy.
In 2015, Los Angeles police officers were called to an incident involving Wheeler after the lineman was allegedly punching walls and windows, which injured his hands. Wheeler got into an altercation with officers and was hit with bean bag rounds, NBC News reported at the time.
Wheeler, who was playing for the University of Southern California at the time, was not arrested, but instead transported to a local hospital where he was held for a psychiatric evaluation.
The New York Giants signed Wheeler as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and he was later signed in 2019 to the Seahawks.
