Chiefs' Willie Gay Jr arrested after allegedly breaking vacuum during argument, police say

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Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. was arrested Wednesday on a misdemeanor criminal damage to property charge, police said.

Gay allegedly broke a vacuum and other items during an argument in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas. The 23-year-old NFL player’s arrest comes a few days before the team’s divisional-round game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

No drugs, alcohol or weapons were involved, and no one was injured in the incident.

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Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams, left, runs against Kansas City Chiefs middle linebacker Willie Gay during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Maxx Lepsettler and Ryan Rubin, Gay’s agents, said in a statement that Gay was visiting his son when he got into an argument with the child’s mother, who called the police. Gay was later released from the Johnson County Detention Center on $1,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Gay’s agents predicted that the linebacker would likely pay a fine and replace the vacuum cleaner and "all should be resolved today with no further issues."

Willie Gay Jr, 23, was arrested Wednesday. (Johnson County Sheriff's Office)

Gay was not at practice on Thursday. Kansas City’s assistant coaches deferred to Andy Reid when it came to questions about Gay’s status for the playoff game. Reid didn’t speak to the media Thursday.

"I’ll leave that up to Andy [Reid]. I’m sure he’ll address it, but if this happened in the game and it was an injury, today we just operate that way. We’ll see what happens," Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said.

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Gay has 48 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games for the Chiefs this season. Earlier in the year, he spoke about some of the mental health issues he’d been dealing with. 

After a tweet in October about his mental health being "F’d up," he would explain to reporters at the time he was "going through some things" but wanted to be an example for other NFL players about being open and honest about them.

"We're taught growing up to just hold it in and go on about your day, and keep distractions away," Gay said at the time. "But I got to the point where I was like, ‘I can’t shake this,' and I had to tell my coaches, the people that I work with."

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs middle linebacker Willie Gay Jr. (50) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Spagnuolo was asked whether Gay’s mental health issues had been an issue since Gay tweeted about it.

"I wasn’t aware of what you’re talking about there, but all I can say about Willie is I love working with him. He’s been terrific. Man, I think you guys know he had a baby, and I talk to him about that a lot. Hopefully things will work out for the best for everybody," he said.

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Gay is in his second season with the Chiefs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.