New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers has been acquitted of assault and battery charges following a trial stemming from an incident in October. Peppers testified that he did not choke or push a woman who accused him of assault. The woman claimed Peppers attacked her after an altercation involving phone calls to her. Video evidence depicted Peppers asking her to leave his home, which contributed to the case. Peppers's attorney argued that the allegations were financially motivated due to a pending civil lawsuit against him.

During the trial, Peppers admitted to cocaine possession, a charge that may be dropped if he avoids legal troubles in the coming months. The Patriots previously placed Peppers on the commissioner’s exempt list due to the incident, which caused him to miss seven games this season. Despite the legal issues, Peppers signed an extension with the Patriots that runs through 2027.