Fansided
Fansided

Jets turbulent offseason continues as linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin accused of assault

By George Stockburger

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (55) during the second half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won, 17-23. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (55) during the second half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won, 17-23. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

No NFL team has seen a tougher offseason than the New York Jets

Linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin is being accused of sending a man to the hospital with multiple broken bones.

Jean Lopez tells the New York Post that Mauldin assaulted him inside a city nightclub on April 2 after having champagne spilled on him.

Lopez alleges Mauldin punched him twice, one in the eye and once in the jaw. The 22-year-old’s lawyer said his client required multiple surgeries to repair “multiple maxillofacial fractures” and needed “numerous plates” inserted to repair the damage.

"“It was not a fight, it was an attack,” his lawyer Glenn Race said. “He had surgery, he still has numbness on the affected side in his mouth area and traveling up to his ear. It’s a bad injury.”"

These allegations against the third-year linebacker come as the Jets roster was declared by one executive as the worst in decades.

Mauldin’s lawyer Mitchell Shuster responded to the recently-filed suit, claiming “another individual struck the plaintiff. And that will be borne out by the witnesses and other parties involved. “We have a very strong case and I look forward to pursuing it. Lorenzo’s anxious to being exonerated. He was not involved.”

New York recently released linebacker David Harris and is planning on moving on from wide receiver Eric Decker in the near future.

Mauldin is projected to back up Sheldon Richardson at outside linebacker this season in New York. Should the NFL find Mauldin in violation of the personal conduct policy, a multi-game suspension could be handed down by the league.

Next: Worst NFL Drafts From All 32 Teams Since the Year 2000

The 24-year-old enters the third season of a four-year rookie contract and carries a cap hit of approximately $800,000 as a former third-round draft pick out of Louisville.

Home/NFL News