Isaiah Buggs, a former defensive tackle with the Lions, is having problems with Alabama authorities once more.
Isaiah Buggs, the defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs and a former member of the Detroit Lions, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, late last month. Two dogs who had been left behind at a house that Buggs had rented were the cause of the problem. Euthanizing one of the dogs was necessary.
In a statement released at the time, Buggs’ agent Trey Robinson essentially accused the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the city of having business-related agendas against Buggs.
“We believe the City of Tuscaloosa’s decision to file the charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs’ name and reputation as part of an on-going subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge”, part of the statement read.”
According to court records, Buggs has a $5,000 bond. It’s unclear if he was freed from detention after posting bond.
Updated at 2:20 PM ET on June 17: AL.com reports that Buggs was made available early on Monday. However, in light of the recent arrest for domestic abuse and burglary, his bond on the animal cruelty charges has been withdrawn. His prior release came with a requirement that he not commit any new offenses. As of the report’s publication, Buggs had not been placed back under arrest following a county district judge’s order to hold him without bond.
In 2022, Buggs joined the Lions. That season, he played in all 17 games and started 13, solidifying his place as a vital member of the defensive line.
The previous season began strangely, with Buggs being a healthy scratch for the first game of the campaign. After the game, head coach Dan Campbell gave a clear explanation for why Buggs was benched, implying that he wasn’t practicing with his full potential. For reasons that are still unclear, he had also skipped OTAs, which undoubtedly contributed to the rapid reversal of the previously favorable perception of him.
Last season, Buggs appeared in ten games for the Lions. The Lions waived him extremely late in the 2018 season (early January), possibly just for random reasons to clear out space on the roster. After the season, he inked a futures contract with the Chiefs, where he had joined their practice squad.