Getty Bashaud Breeland speaks to the media prior to the 2020 Super Bowl.
Less than three months after helping the Kansas City Chiefs win their first Super Bowl in 50 years and only three weeks after signing a new one-year deal to return to the team, CB Bashaud Breeland finds himself in hot water.
According to York County Sheriff’s Office records obtained by The Post and Courier, the seventh-year defensive back and Clemson alum was arrested in South Carolina at 1:26 p.m. EST on Tuesday afternoon. Breeland was being held in county jail (bond not yet set) as of Tuesday evening on five charges, including:
- Resisting arrest
- Transporting alcohol in a motor vehicle with a broken seal
- Possession of an open container of beer or wine in a motor vehicle
- Possession of 28 grams or less of marijuana or 10 grams of hash
- Driving without a license
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The 28-year-old South Carolina native signed his new $4.5 million deal on April 9 after finishing out his sixth season in the NFL, his first in Kansas City. In 2019, Breeland started 15 of 16 regular-season games while posting 48 total tackles, 8 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions and fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown).
The Chiefs told reporters that they are aware of the situation but did not offer any further comment on the matter. The cornerback took the commenting into his own hands by posting on his Twitter account late Tuesday evening, citing “charges that really shouldn’t be charged.”
On Wednesday, attorneys representing Breeland from Strom Law Firm published the following statement on the incident, writing that their client is “facing only misdemeanor charges” and that “none of the crimes charged allege that Mr. Breeland was consuming alcohol at the time of the arrest.”
Statement from attorneys representing #Chiefs CB Bashaud Breeland via his agents
Breeland Has Been In Trouble for Substance Before
NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero is also reporting that Breeland was already facing a potential four-game suspension in 2020 for a separate violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy.
#Chiefs CB Bashaud Breeland — who was arrested Tuesday on multiple charges, including marijuana possession — was already facing a four-game suspension for a separate violation of the substance-abuse policy, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo. Breeland is appealing.
As a cornerback for the Washington Redskins in July 2015, Breeland was suspended for one game without pay after the NFL said he violated the league’s substance-abuse policy, according to Sports Illustrated. Breeland had been cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana in August 2014.
At that time, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said of Breeland, “He’s going to learn from this.”
When NFL reporter Albert Breer tweeted the news of Breeland’s 2015 suspension, one fan commented: “suspended for a citation? it was his first violation what sense does that make? The leagues drug policy is deplorable #Redskins”
The NFL’s new drug policy “is moving away from a punishment approach and toward providing help for those that need it,” according to Sporting News. Players who test positive for marijuana may be referred for treatment rather than fines and suspensions, the site reported.
However, the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy specifically outlines that disciplinary action may be taken against individuals who engage in “criminal offenses relating to steroids and prohibited substances, or substances of abuse.” The policy reads in part: “While criminal activity is clearly outside the scope of permissible conduct, and persons who engage in criminal activity will be subject to discipline, the standard of conduct for persons employed in the NFL is considerably higher.”
Breeland Isn’t the Only NFL Player Facing Charges
Coincidently enough, Breeland is not the only former Clemson Tigers player to be arrested in the area in the past week, per The Post and Courier:
Breeland is the second former Clemson player to be arrested in the past four days. Ben Boulware on Saturday was charged with driving under the influence and having an open container of beer or wine in a motor vehicle, according to Greenville County court records.
In February, according to Bleacher Report, Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Greg Robinson was arrested and charged with “conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana” after Border Patrol agents say they found 157 pounds of marijuana in his Uber as he tried to cross the border from Mexico at the Sierra Blanca Checkpoint Station.
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For more NFL updates, follow Chris Licata on Twitter: @Chris__Licata