Former NFL player and current Denver Broncos linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite was arrested over the weekend for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
The 38-year-old was booked on 22nd February at the Downtown Detention Center on a charge of second-degree assault on a peace officer. Wilhoite is scheduled to appear in court at 10:30 AM on Monday.
According to a police report obtained by TMZ Sports, a Denver Police officer claimed he was working a curb assignment on the East arrivals level of the airport around 2:09 PM when the incident occurred. The officer said he told Wilhoite that he could not leave his 2021 Ford Bronco unattended, to which Wilhoite allegedly responded by saying, “shut the f*** up” twice.
The officer stated that Wilhoite then bumped his chest into him, causing him to step backward. In response, the officer shoved Wilhoite, who allegedly punched the officer in the right side of the face with a closed left fist, knocking him to the ground. The officer reported using a taser on Wilhoite as he attempted to enter his vehicle, striking him in the upper left side and left hip. After the effects of the taser wore off, Wilhoite allegedly closed his car door and drove away.
The officer reported injuries to his knees, pain in his right jaw, and possible internal injuries to his left wrist.
In response to the arrest, the Broncos released a statement to 9News saying, “We are aware of a situation involving Michael Wilhoite that occurred Sunday and are in the process of gathering more information.” Reports indicate that the incident took place after Wilhoite had dropped someone off at the airport.
Wilhoite, who went undrafted out of Washburn University in 2011, played six seasons as a linebacker in the NFL, spending most of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. He recorded 231 tackles in 79 games. Before joining the NFL, he played for the Omaha Nighthawks in the UFL.
Following his playing career, Wilhoite transitioned into coaching, serving on the staffs of the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers before joining the Broncos as an outside linebackers coach in 2023.
