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John Moffitt, Ex-NFL Player, Caught with Drugs After Fight: Charges

By Emily Morris | March 16, 2014 3:17pm
 Former NFL player John Moffitt, 27, was arrested in River North early Sunday.
Former NFL player John Moffitt, 27, was arrested in River North early Sunday.
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Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Former Denver Broncos player John Moffitt was arrested near River North's The Underground nightclub after he punched a man in the head and was caught with pot, cocaine and ecstasy, according to prosecutors.

Moffitt, 27, who retired from the NFL in November, was charged with two felony drug possession counts in addition to misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor pot possession.

Moffitt, who also played for the Seattle Seahawks, was arrested around 4 a.m. Sunday in the 0-100 block of West Illinois Street after he punched a 40-year-old man in his head and was subsequently nabbed with drugs, according to police and prosecutors. 

The victim told police that he had been questioning Moffitt about selling drugs inside the nightclub when Moffitt became "combative" and hit the victim in his head, an arrest report states.

Officers arrived and placed Moffitt into custody, after which they discovered he had 10 grams of pot, 1 gram of cocaine and four pills of ecstasy, according to the report and Assistant State's Attorney Stephanie Gersch.

On his decision to leave the NFL, Moffitt told the New York Times, "I don't want to risk health for money." The former guard had sustained several injuries during his time playing for the two teams, according to the Times.

In his Twitter profile, he describes himself as a former football player and "Now, active happiness pursuer." According to police, his last registered address is in Renton, Wash.

Judge James Brown ordered Moffitt released of his own recognizance.