Defensive End Michael Bennett, who will play for the Philadelphia Eagles next season, the current Super Bowl champions, appeared before a judge on Monday afternoon in the Harris County Court in Houston after a warrant was issued for injuring an elderly woman.
The alleged incident occurred at NRG Stadium in Houston after the Super Bowl LI game in February 2017.
After his arrest, the judge set a bail of $10,000 for Bennett, and the player will be allowed to travel between his home in Hawaii and the Houston area to appear in court when required by the judicial authorities.
Howie Roseman, the general manager of the Eagles, stated that during the winter meeting of NFL owners in Orlando, Florida, his team was unaware of the incident until Friday when the accusation was made public.
Roseman also mentioned that he does not believe Seattle Seahawks' general manager, John Schneider, kept any information from the Eagles when they traded Bennett to the team earlier this month.
The Eagles' executive also highlighted that he had spoken with Bennett about the incident and will allow the legal process to unfold.
"People are innocent until proven guilty," Roseman declared. "We will uphold that principle of respect for the legal process until we know the final outcome and determine the appropriate actions to take."
According to official documentation regarding Bennett's arrest, the Harris County Prosecutor's Office, which encompasses Houston, issued a warrant against the defensive end for injuring a paraplegic woman while attempting to jump onto the field to celebrate with his brother at Super Bowl LI.
A statement from the district attorney's office states that Bennett was a spectator and was in the city to watch his brother, Martellus, who was a player for the New England Patriots at the time. The Patriots won the Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
After the game, Bennett made his way onto the field where the players were gathering to celebrate.
NRG security personnel, including a 66-year-old paraplegic woman, told Bennett that he needed to use a different entrance to access the field, but Bennett pushed past them, including the woman who was part of the security team.
Bennett's lawyer, 32-year-old Rusty Hardin, stated that his client was out of the country when the Harris County District Attorney's Office filed the complaint against him.
If found guilty, Bennett could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Meanwhile, the NFL has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into the case.