Former Lions OL Arrested for Alleged 'Unruly' Behavior

Former Lions lineman Gosder Cherilus arrested Sunday.

Former Detroit Lions tackle Gosder Cherilus. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Former Detroit Lions offensive lineman Gosder Cherilus was arrested Sunday for alleged unruly behavior on a flight to Ireland, according to reports.

Cherilus was reportedly arrested at Logan Airport after his behavior forced the flight destined for Dublin, Ireland to be rerouted to Boston. He allegedly urinated on a fellow passenger on the flight, which caused the crew on the plane to request assistance from the state police.

A report indicated that the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 2 a.m. Sunday. Cherilus was also allegedly uncooperative and had to be forced off the plane. He was arrested for disorderly conduct and disturbing a flight crew and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, according to the Daily Mail.

The former Lion explained his side of the story in a statement posted to social media Monday.

"I'd like to address the media reports about me that surfaced today regarding a situation that occurred onboard a flight to Ireland this past weekend," Cherilus wrote. "The flight was unexpectedly delayed for approximately four hours, and it did not take off until after 12:30AM. In preparation for the unexpected overnight flight, I took a sleeping medication that I don't normally use, which resulted in behavior that is not representative of my character, and I would like to apologize to the passengers and flight crew."

Cherilus played nine NFL seasons after the Detroit Lions drafted him 17th overall out of Boston College in 2008. He played five years for the Lions, spanning 2008-12, playing 75 games with 71 starts. He would play two years for the Indianapolis Colts before finishing his career with two seasons with Tampa Bay.

During his time with the Lions, Cherilus became a starter as a rookie and was a mainstay on the offensive line. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2010.

The 40-year-old currently resides in Wakefield, Massachusetts and retired from the NFL in 2017.

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