The video doesn’t look good for Willie McGinest. Footage that was released Monday shows the three-time Super Bowl champion approaching a seated man at a West Hollywood nightclub and pummeling him the moment he stands up.
Later, McGinest hits the man in the head with a bottle.
On Tuesday, McGinest made his first public remarks about the brutal incident, posting on Instagram that “things aren’t always how they seem at first glance.”
While that is true, it certainly seems like McGinest went up to somebody unprovoked and started assaulting him. He has a lot of explaining to do.
On Monday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office told the media that McGinest turned himself in for the alleged assault, which occurred earlier in December. McGinest, who was arrested on a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, was charged and released on $30,000 bond.
McGinest, 51, played 15 NFL seasons, including 12 with the Patriots from the 1994-2005. He won three Super Bowls and made two Pro Bowls over that span.
For the last several years, McGinest has worked as an analyst for NFL Network. The network said Monday he won’t appear on TV while they review the incident.
This is McGinest’s third known legal run-in. As a college student at USC, he and two other teammates were charged with battery and false imprisonment after a female USC student accused them of sexual assault. McGinest and his teammates were acquitted of all charges.
Six years ago, a man filed a Personal Injury Lawsuit against McGinest. The suit is still pending.
