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Former Detroit Lion Brandon Pettigrew arrested in Pittsburgh

The free agent tight end was a first round draft selection by the Lions in 2009.

Arizona Cardinals v Detroit Lions Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images

Brandon Pettigrew, a former Lions tight end, was arrested in Pittsburgh today in the early morning hours, according to a report by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The police report claims Pettigrew, currently a NFL free agent, refused to pay a $97 limousine fare. The report claims Pettigrew got into an argument with the limo driver, who called the police. When the cops arrived, they found him intoxicated.

From there, events appear to have devolved. The police claim Pettigrew was “aggressively arguing” with police, and then punched a cop three times in the chest before they drew tasers and arrested him. Pettigrew was restrained and brought to Allegheny County Jail.

As with all police reports, this is a preliminary version of events directly from their office. Pettigrew’s camp may claim a different version of events. A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for July 18.

Pettigrew was the no. 20 overall draft pick for the Detroit Lions in 2009. While he had signed a four-year contract with the Lions in 2014, he tore his ACL a year later and was released by the team in 2016. He has not played with any other football team since.

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