New England Patriots Hall of Famer Willie McGinest was seen allegedly thumping a glass bottle on another man’s head after allegedly punching him in a heated restaurant brawl.
McGinest, who played for the Patriots between 1994 and 2005, was arrested for a felony assault, and was subsequently released on bail hours later after posting his $30,000 bail.
In footage obtained by TMZ Sports, McGinest can be seen entering a club and approaching a man at a table, before a mass brawl breaks out with multiple men throwing punches and kicks. At one point, McGinest allegedly picks up a glass bottle and hit the man around the head with it, before tossing it back onto a nearby sofa.
After onlookers successfully broke up the fight, McGinest and his entourage are seen leaving the restaurant as staff speak to the other party involved.
The 51-year-old is believed to have handed himself into authorities over the incident, at which point he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
McGinest made bail and paid $30,000 to leave two hours after he was booked. The Hollywood County Sheriff’s office records show McGinest was arrested at 7am local time before being booked half an hour later.
He is due to appear at the Los Angeles Superior Court at 8:30am local time on Tuesday morning in Los Angeles to answer the charges.
The former linebacker was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2015 as a result of his standout career with the franchise. He was a key part of the Super Bowl-winning teams of 2001, 2004 and 2005. Most recently, he’s been working as an analyst.
After leaving the Patriots in 2005, he spent a year out of the league before returning with the Cleveland Browns in 2006. McGinest played in Cleveland for four years before retiring as a Patriot, signing a one-day contract on the day of his Hall of Fame Induction.
