Vikings Release Cornerback Jeff Gladney After Domestic Assault Indictment In Texas
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Vikings have released former first-round cornerback Jeff Gladney after he was indicted by a Texas grand jury on a felony assault charge.
"Following our review of today's indictment against Jeff Gladney, we have decided to release Jeff immediately," the team said in a statement. "As we have previously said, we take these matters very seriously and condemn all forms of domestic violence. Due to the ongoing legal nature of this matter, we are unable to provide further comment."
#Vikings statement on Jeff Gladney pic.twitter.com/mj8KRCEknv
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 3, 2021
Documents filed in Dallas County Tuesday allege Gladney did "intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly cause bodily injury" to his girlfriend on April 2. The indictment alleges Gladney choked the woman.
Sources told KTVT in Dallas-Fort Worth that Gladney was upset by the woman's text messages and demanded to see her phone. Sources said she threw the phone out the window, and after Gladney stopped to retrieve it, the woman said he started hitting her.
They returned to an apartment complex, where the woman said Gladney tried to strangle her.
The Vikings drafted Gladney in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. He played college ball at Texas Christian University. He played in all 16 games his rookie year, starting 15 of them.