Carolina Panthers linebacker Damien Wilson was arrested in Frisco, Texas last week after his ex-girlfriend said he threatened to kill her, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Wilson, 28, who was signed by the Panthers last month, is facing charges of assaulting a family member, Frisco Police Sgt. Stephen Byrom said in an email to the newspaper.
Wilson’s attorney Toby Shook denied the allegations.
“Damien Wilson did not commit any physical harm,” Shook told the newspaper. “We look forward to any facts that come out so his name can be cleared.”
Byrom said he had no information on whether Wilson opted out.
A Panthers spokesman told the newspaper the team was aware of Wilson’s arrest but had made no further comment.
The Dallas Cowboys drafted Wilson from Minnesota in 2015, and he played with the Cowboys for four seasons. He also played two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, won a Super Bowl, and played with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.
Wilson’s ex-girlfriend Ryan Sokolosky told the Dallas Morning News that after she broke up with Wilson, he showed up at her apartment drunk and threatened to kill her with a tire lever. She said he also destroyed her laptop by wrapping it in a blanket and throwing it on the floor to tell her it was her cat. Wilson also attempted to run her over before driving off, she said.
Sokolosky gave permission for her name to be used. She said she obtained a protective order against Wilson.
“He thinks it’s all a joke because he’s rich and thinks he can get out of anything,” she told the newspaper.
In 2017, Wilson was accused of brandishing a gun and threatening rearguards outside a football stadium. He was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A grand jury declined to indict Wilson.