Chiefs defensive lineman ‘vehemently denies’ allegations of animal cruelty

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (KCTV) - Another Kansas City Chiefs player is in legal trouble this off-season.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs, who played collegiately at Alabama, has misdemeanor animal cruelty warrants out for him Tuscaloosa Police said.

A complaint filed in Tuscaloosa District Court says police found a pitbull and rottweiler on March 28 at a home Buggs had been renting. The complaint said the dogs were found without food and water for several days and said Buggs moved out several days before the dogs were found.

Court documents said dogs were placed into the custody of the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, and, according to court documents, the rottweiler had parvo and was underweight. Unfortunately, the pit bull had to be euthanized.

Investigators determined that a notice of termination was filed because Buggs owed more than $3,100 in back rent. Witnesses said Buggs moved out of the house on April 15, 2024.

At this time, an investigation remains underway.

Buggs signed a reserve/futures contract with the Chiefs on Feb. 13, 2024, after g on the Chiefs practice squad on Jan. 4, 2024.

The 27-year-old’s agent Trey Robinson of AthElite Agency released a statement about the charges against his client:

Isaiah vehemently denies the truthfulness of the allegations and charges asserted against him today. Under no circumstance does Mr. Buggs condone the mistreatment of any animal. The dogs at issue did not belong to him and he was unaware they remained at the property in question.

Furthermore, we believe the City of Tuscaloosa’s decision to file the charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs’ name and reputation as part of an ongoing subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge.

These efforts are not new as Mr. Buggs was arrested at his business on misdemeanor charges on two separate occasions in the past two months, but each time no public record was made of these arrests. Rather, the City used the threat of pursuing and publicizing both the allegations filed today and these arrests as leverage against Mr. Buggs by offering to drop and not pursue them in exchange for his voluntary surrender of his business license. Mr. Buggs declined the City’s offer as he has serious concerns about the City’s and Police Department’s motivation for deciding to target his business, which he plans to bring to light as part of his defense of the allegations and charges filed against him and his reputation and business.

Trey Robinson, Buggs' agent

The City of Tuscaloosa refused to comment on the incident due to pending litigation, something it said was their protocol.

Buggs was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He has played 56 games and totaled 89 career tackles while playing three seasons in Pittsburgh and two seasons in Detroit.