Getty Former Patriots safety Patrick Chung has been charged for assault and battery.
Former New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung has been arrested.
As first reported by Jeff Howe of The Athletic on Tuesday, October 26, the 34-year-old was “charged with assault and battery on a family/household member and vandalizing property” on Monday, October 25, by Milton Police in Massachusetts.
Chung pleaded not guilty to the charges in an appearance in Quincy District Court on Tuesday before being released on a $10,000 personal surety, according to ESPN’s Patriots beat reporter Mike Reiss.
Chung’s next court hearing is set for January 7, 2022, according to the outlet.
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Details Emerge on Nature of Chung’s Arrest
According to Reiss, the charges involved the mother of one of Chung’s children and the woman “also obtained a civil restraining order against Chung at the hearing” on Tuesday.
A police report obtained by CBS Boston indicated the former Patriots safety pushed the woman to the ground and “hit the woman in the face with an open hand.” CBS Boston also reported that Chung is accused of “taking the woman’s cell phone, throwing it and causing the screen to shatter.”
Sandy Pesiridis, Chung’s attorney, released a statement on the incident to John R. Ellement and Andrew Brinker of The Boston Globe.
“Mr. Chung is an upstanding member of the community, wonderful father, and he looks forward to be able to set this straight in respect to what actually occurred. He is the victim in this matter,” said Pesiridis.
This isn’t the first time Chung has run into trouble with the law. In August 2019, he was charged with possession of cocaine in New Hampshire. Those drug charges were dismissed on January 13, 2020, after Chung and the state reached a settlement due, in part, to Chung’s lack of involvement in the criminal justice system at the time.
Chung Retired From the NFL in March 2021
Chung was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft and played 10 of his 11 seasons in New England, separated by a one-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. He won three Super Bowls in New England and was named to the franchise’s 2010s All-Decade Team.
Chung had signed a two-year extension with New England prior to the 2020 season, but ended up sitting out the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic before retiring in March of 2021.
Devin McCourty’s Injury Not Serious
Devin McCourty — the defense’s most experienced player — suffered an abdomen injury during the Patriots’ Week 7 victory over the New York Jets.
Although he did exit the game in the second quarter — and did not return — he should be just fine moving forward. According to CLNS’s Evan Lazar, McCourty avoided a serious injury during the victory.
As Lazar mentions, a source described McCourty’s injury as “week-to-week.” However, his status is uncertain for this week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
If McCourty can’t play, the Patriots would be forced to rely upon Myles Bryant at safety, who was promoted to the active roster just last week.
“When Dev’s not in there, the next guy has got to do it,” Patriots assistant coach Steve Belichick said on Tuesday, October 26. “I’ve always told those guys in the back end: ‘We’ve got to make generals out of soldiers.’”