Axed NFL Player To Serve 60 Days Of Hard Labor For Animal Cruelty Charges

Isaiah Buggs allegedly left two dogs 'malnourished, emaciated and neglected' while under his ownership.

Former NFL player Isaiah Buggs will take on hard labor in Alabama due to his conviction on animal cruelty charges. After his second arrest for another offense, the Kansas City Chiefs released Buggs from its roster in June.

According to the Associated Press, a Tuscaloosa judge convicted the 27-year-old on two misdemeanor animal cruelty charges. Sentenced to a year of hard labor in the southern state, Buggs will only serve 60 days “pending” his behavior. The rest of the sentencing would be suspended for two years.

Buggs allegedly left two dogs “malnourished, emaciated and neglected” while under his ownership, as revealed in court documents obtained by the New York Post. According to the Tuscaloosa Patch, police found a white pitbull surrounded by feces on Buggs’ porch, while a Rottweiler also sat in a cage. Both animals had no access to food or water, court documents said.

Law enforcement issued arrest warrants against the professional athlete in May. His agent, Trey Robinson, initially called the charges a tactic to get Buggs to close his hookah lounge.

However, another arrest in June for domestic violence and burglary shifted Buggs’ NFL career. He allegedly pushed his child’s mother down a flight of stairs, leading to the Chiefs’ decision. Despite this, Buggs’ attorney called the conviction “confusing” and remains adamant that the case is not over.

“The Buggs situation is confusing and bears explaining, but it has not been concluded yet,” explained the lawyer, Greg Gambril, to WRBC.

The Pittsburgh Steelers originally drafted Buggs in 2019. He played there for three seasons before moving on to the Detroit Lions, who cut him after two seasons. He joined the Chiefs’ practice squad in 2023, recently signing an almost $1.3 million contract with the franchise. The athlete is now a free agent.

The specifics of his hard labor have not been disclosed.