The Kansas City Chiefs are beginning to get themselves ready for the 2026 campaign, but they have found themselves engulfed in some drama as of late. Wide receiver Rashee Rice has found himself in jail after he violated his probation, but defensive backs coach Dave Merritt has also found himself in some hot water after he had a domestic violence case filed against him.
Whereas Rice’s legal issues seem to be never-ending, Merritt’s case appears to be wrapped up. A Kansas district court dismissed a misdemeanor domestic battery charge that was levied against Merritt, and now, the NFL has made an announcement on whether or not the longtime Chiefs’ coach will face any punishment from them.
NFL Won’t Punish Dave Merritt for Domestic Violence Case
Merritt briefly played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals before transitioning into coaching. After spending time in the college ranks, Merritt found his way to the New York Jets in 2001. After spending three years with them, he made his way to the New York Giants, and he ended up staying with them until 2017.
In 2018, Merritt reunited with the Cardinals before joining the Chiefs in 2019, which is where he has worked for the past seven seasons. Merritt is one of the most experienced defensive backs coaches in the league, as he’s been working at this spot for two decades now. During his time as a coach, Merritt has been a part of five Super Bowl teams, winning a pair with the Giants and three with K.C.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, Merritt had a domestic battery charge filed against him, which seemingly put his future with the team up in the air. However, the charge was dismissed in court last month, but the league was still investigating Merritt, meaning he still could have faced punishment for his actions. Instead, the NFL found insufficient evidence against Merritt, meaning that he won’t face any discipline as a result of this case.
“The NFL concluded its investigation of Chiefs DBs coach Dave Merritt and found insufficient evidence of a violation of the personal conduct policy, sources say,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “A Kansas district court dismissed misdemeanor DV charges last month. No discipline from the league as well.”
Chiefs Looking to Get Back on Track in 2026
GettyHead coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs
Getting some resolution on Merritt’s status is big for the Chiefs, as it’s another off-field distraction that they won’t have to worry about. Now that this entire case is in the rearview mirror, this ensures that Merritt will be fully focused on helping Kansas City’s new-look secondary get ready for the upcoming season.
When this team eventually does return to action, expectations are going to be high, even though it just missed the playoffs entirely in 2025. It’s still Super Bowl or bust for K.C., so long as Patrick Mahomes is under center and Andy Reid is on the sidelines, and while it will face a lot of competition across the league, we have seen time and again that it isn’t wise to bet against this group.
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