Broncos part ways with assistant Michael Wilhoite after he's accused of punching a police officer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Being accused of punching a constabulary serviceman successful the look has outgo erstwhile NFL subordinate Michael Wilhoite his occupation arsenic the Denver Broncos' extracurricular linebackers coach.

“After thorough discussions arsenic an organization, I met with Michael Wilhoite and informed him we person decided to portion ways,” manager Sean Payton said successful a connection released by the squad Wednesday.

“We admit the superior quality of the allegations against him and judge this is the champion people of enactment astatine this time,” Payton added. “I admit Michael's contributions to the Broncos and americium assured helium volition determination guardant successful a affirmative direction.”

Wilhoite is scheduled to beryllium backmost successful tribunal connected March 10 to beryllium advised of the charges prosecutors program to record against him.

He was arrested Feb. 23 connected suspicion of second-degree battle connected a constabulary serviceman and spent the nighttime astatine the Denver jail. According to a constabulary affidavit, Wilhoite pulled up to the drop-off lane astatine Denver International Airport that time and near his conveyance unattended. A uniformed constabulary serviceman approached Wilhoite erstwhile helium returned and told him helium couldn’t bash that.

According to the constabulary affidavit, Wilhoite told the serviceman to unopen up and bumped his thorax into the officer, who shoved Wilhoite back. Wilhoite past punched the serviceman successful the face, knocking him down and returned to his truck. The serviceman utilized a Taser connected Wilhoite arsenic helium entered his conveyance to thrust away.

At a proceeding the adjacent time successful which helium acceptable a $5,000 bond, magistrate Arnie Beckman told Wilhoite, "These are routine, mundane interactions that thousands of radical get done successfully astatine the airdrome without assaulting a constabulary officer. That a routine, mundane brushwood turned convulsive is concerning to the court.”

Wilhoite, 38, joined the Broncos’ coaching unit successful 2023 aft antecedently moving for Payton successful New Orleans arsenic a antiaircraft and peculiar teams adjunct successful 2019-20. He was the Los Angeles Chargers’ linebackers manager from 2021-22. Before going into coaching, Wilhoite spent six seasons successful the NFL arsenic a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

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