Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs has had criminal animal charges that were pending for nearly a year dropped in court hearing on Wednesday, according to a statement from his attorney.
Buggs had been charged with animal cruelty last May and then was arrested again for domestic violence burglary in June. The pair of arrests last summer caused Buggs to be released by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Buggs was initially convicted of two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty last July and was ordered to serve 60 days of hard labor.
After a plea agreement that reduced the domestic violence charge to misdemeanor criminal trespass, and new evidence coming to light in the animal cruelty manner, Alabama assistant district attorney Ashley Ross filed a motion to dismiss those chargers with prejudice.
Buggs’ attorney provided to the court a recorded telephone conversation between Buggs and a man named Otis Lee, who admitted he was supposed to be taking care of the dogs, which were found untended on a cage in a screened-in porch last March.
With his legal issues resolved, Buggs is now free to resume the pursuit of his NFL career.
“We are grateful to the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office for its careful review of the facts and evidence and for working toward a fair and just outcome,” Buggs said in a statement provided by attorney Greg Gambril. “I am focused on moving forward and continuing my football career.”
A sixth-round pick of the Steelers in 2019, Buggs played 29 games over three seasons in Pittsburgh, recording 31 tackles, two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit and one pass defended.
The Steelers released him after the 2021 season. He signed with the Detroit Lions, becoming a surprise starter in 2022, earning a two-year, $6 million contract extension, but he was released a year later.
Buggs was on the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs when they won Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024. He re-signed with the Chiefs for the 2024 season, but was released last June.
A native of Ruston, Louisiana, Buggs played for two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast and two seasons at Alabama before joining the Steelers.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Cleared of Animal Abuse Charges
