Former Detroit Lions lineman Isaiah Buggs sentenced to hard labor in Alabama on animal cruelty charges
Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs has been convicted on two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty charges.
Tuscaloosa County District Judge Joanne Jannik sentenced Buggs on July 19 to a year of hard labor, ordering him to serve 60 days. The rest would be suspended for two years "pending the behavior of the defendant."
Buggs, 27, also is not allowed to have or be around firearms or own dogs or cats.
The Chiefs released the former Alabama player on June 24, eight days after his second recent arrest in Alabama. He was arrested on a charge of domestic violence/burglary and released on a $5,000 bond, according to records from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
The run-stuffing tackle out of Alabama played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers before spending the past two with the Detroit Lions. He has started 23 games and appeared in 56 in his career, with 89 tackles and two sacks. He had signed a $1,292,500 contract with Kansas City for the upcoming season.
On March 28, the Tuscaloosa Police Department found two dogs that were "seriously malnourished" and "emaciated" on the back porch of a house that Buggs had rented, according to court documents.
The court filings reported that a neighbor said a pitbull and a Rotweiler mix had been left there for at least 10 days and had no access to food or water.
Witness told officials that Buggs moved out of that house on or around March 19.
The pitbull was euthanized.
Buggs, a former Alabama player, spent three seasons with the Steelers, before spending two with the Detroit Lions. He played in 17 games with the Lions with 13 starts. He was release by the team on Jan. 2, 2024, before heading to Kansas City.