Willie McGinest was charged with assault with a deadly weapon earlier this week, and the former NFL linebacker addressed the incident on Friday.
McGinest turned himself in on Monday after a warrant was issued stemming from his alleged involvement in a brutal beating that took place at a popular hotspot Delilah in West Hollywood, California, earlier this month. The 51-year-old issued a statement offering, “my deepest apology for my lapse in judgment and behavior on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood.” The analyst also apologized to his colleagues at NFL Network and said he is embarrassed by his actions.
“Most of all, I am disappointed in myself, as I know this is an isolated incident and is not reflective of my faith, role as a father, life’s body of work, or the role model I’ve worked hard to become,” the statement read. “It is personally devastating that decades of community service, youth engagement, mentoring, and professional development would become an afterthought in a single moment that should have never happened.
“This incident has prompted me to deep self-reflection – mind, soul, and spirit. I know that violence is never the answer to such situations, no matter how intense the provocation. Rest assured, I will take whatever steps necessary to restore the public trust, mend damaged relationships, and ensure this never happens again.”
You can read the full statement below:
Surveillance footage that was obtained by TMZ allegedly shows McGinest walk up to a man who was seated at a table and say a few words to him. The man in the video who was reportedly identified as McGinest can then be seen punching the victim in the face before several other people got involved. McGinest and several other men were shown punching the man repeatedly.
At one point, McGinest allegedly picked up a bottle and began hitting the victim in the face with it.
McGinest won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. The former linebacker played college ball at USC before he was drafted by New England with the fourth overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. McGinest played for the Patriots until 2005 and then finished his career with the Cleveland Browns for three seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 1996 and 2003.
McGinest has been working as an analyst for NFL Network for several years. He also had brief stints at FOX Sports and ESPN.
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