NFL player KaVontae Turpin has reportedly been arrested on weapon and drug charges.
ESPN reported that Turpin, 28, was arrested in Texas on Saturday, July 5, and booked into the Collin County Jail. The Dallas Cowboys player was reportedly charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of less than 2 oz. of marijuana.
Online jail records reviewed by Us Weekly show that Turpin was released from jail on Sunday, July 6. He was reportedly released from custody on $1,500 bail.
After a breakout season in the 2022 USFL spring football league, Turpin was signed by the Cowboys. He received Pro Bowl honors in his first season in the NFL, becoming the first Cowboys player ever to be selected to the Pro Bowl as a designated return specialist.
Turpin signed a three-year, $18 million contract in March, according to DallasCowboys.com. While sharing a photo of Turpin smiling as he held a pen, the official Cowboys Instagram account celebrated the news at the time. “The fastest player in the NFL is staying in Dallas ⭐️,” the caption read.
The NFL player also sent a message to his fans in a video. “KaVontae Turpin here with the Cowboys. I just wanted to say shoutout Cowboy nation, resigning. Here for another three years, man. Hit the ground and get it running,” he said.
Turpin previously played for Texas Christian University, before the school cut ties with him after previous run-ins with the law. In 2019, NBC 5 Dallas-Forth Worth reported that Turpin pleaded guilty to assault charges in an October 2018 incident. According to the outlet, Turpin was sentenced to two years of deferred adjudication probation and a 27-week abuse intervention program.
Turpin had previously also been arrested in New Mexico in March 2018 for alleged assault, including a battery charge. He pleaded not guilty to the battery charge, per ESPN. Turpin was later dismissed from Texas Christian University.
“The football staff was aware there was an incident in New Mexico, but not that charges included an alleged battery,” Texas Christian University said in a statement at the time, per ESPN. “The publicly available information they reviewed at the time only showed a charge related to property damage. We did not know until yesterday that his legal issues were unresolved.”
Years later, Turpin reflected on his past. “I learned I got to learn from my accountability, my consequences,” Turpin said in a 2022 meeting with reporters, per NBC 5 Dallas-Forth Worth. “I’m just looking forward to becoming a greater man now.”
