Former Patriots LB Willie McGinest Arrested on Assault Charge

The former New England Patriots linebacker reportedly turned himself in.

Per TMZ, former New England Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest has been arrested in Los Angeles, turning himself in on Monday morning. While the original report was unclear of the accusations against McGinest, law enforcement said that the incident was "in connection with an assault that allegedly occurred within the past two weeks." 

McGinest's initial bail has been set at $30,000. He was booked at 7:30 a.m. local time.

Now an analyst on NFL Network (after prior stints at ESPN and Fox Sports), the 51-year-old McGinest was the fourth pick of the 1994 NFL Draft. He is best known for his 12 seasons (1994-2005) with the Patriots, partaking in their first three Super Bowl victories. McGinest also holds the NFL records for career postseason sacks (16) and sacks in a single playoff game (4.5). 

In addition to his time in New England, McGinest spent three seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He remains a renowned figure in Patriots history since retiring after the 2008 season: McGinest made two Pro Bowls (1996, 2003) with New England and was named to both their All-1990s and 2000s teams before he was inducted into the team Hall of Fame in 2015. His post-playing career has also seen him appear in various entertainment ventures. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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