DENVER, CO - Michael Wilhoite, an outside linebacker coach for the Denver Broncos, has been arrested and accused of punching a Denver police officer at Denver International Airport (DIA). According to CBS News, Wilhoite was booked into the Downtown Detention Center and has been charged with second-degree assault on a peace officer.
Court documents provided by the Denver Police Department (DPD) state that Wilhoite was involved in an altercation with a Denver police officer who was in full police uniform and assigned to level four on the east arrivals at DIA during the afternoon on Sunday, February 23rd. The probable cause statement explains what happened.
The incident took place just after 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Wilhoite allegedly pulled into the departure area in his 2021 gray Ford Bronco in lane two and got out of the car, leaving it unattended. At that time, the officer approached the vehicle as Wilhoite was returning to it. The officer told him that he could not leave his vehicle unattended.
According to the report, Wilhoite told the officer to "shut the (expletive) up" and the officer once again stated that he could not leave the vehicle unattended and again Wilhoite responded by saying, "shut the (expletive) up" and proceeded to bump the officer in the chest. The officer shoved Wilhoite back away from him and said that the Broncos coach "punched him in the right side of his face with a closed left fist" and the officer fell to the ground.
Wilhoite started to get back inside of his vehicle and the officer deployed his taser, which struck Wilhoite in the upper left side and left hip areas. He closed the driver-side door and drove away. The officer suffered injuries to both knees and his jaw. According to Denver7, Wilhoite was arrested around 3:25 p.m. on Sunday.
He appeared in court on Monday, February 24th. While in court, his attorney argued that the charge should be a class four felony, not a class three felony. The judge expressed concerns about what was detailed in the affidavit, noting that the airport pickup line is a "routine, everyday" thing that people go through all the time without resorting to violence.
The judge awarded the defendant a $5,000 professional surety bond or a $500 cash option. Court documents state that Wilhoite paid the $500 and was out of Denver City Jail around 11:30 a.m. A Denver Broncos spokesperson said in a statement, "We are aware of a situation involving Michael Wilhoite that occurred on Sunday and are in the process of gathering more information."
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Wilhoite joined the Broncos' coaching staff in 2023 after previously working for coach Sean Payton in New Orleans as a defensive and special teams assistant in 2019-2020. He was the Los Angeles Chargers' linebackers coach from 2021-2022. Before going into coaching, Wilhoite spent six seasons in the NFL as a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.
Court documents provided by the Denver Police Department (DPD) state that Wilhoite was involved in an altercation with a Denver police officer who was in full police uniform and assigned to level four on the east arrivals at DIA during the afternoon on Sunday, February 23rd. The probable cause statement explains what happened.
The incident took place just after 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Wilhoite allegedly pulled into the departure area in his 2021 gray Ford Bronco in lane two and got out of the car, leaving it unattended. At that time, the officer approached the vehicle as Wilhoite was returning to it. The officer told him that he could not leave his vehicle unattended.
According to the report, Wilhoite told the officer to "shut the (expletive) up" and the officer once again stated that he could not leave the vehicle unattended and again Wilhoite responded by saying, "shut the (expletive) up" and proceeded to bump the officer in the chest. The officer shoved Wilhoite back away from him and said that the Broncos coach "punched him in the right side of his face with a closed left fist" and the officer fell to the ground.
Wilhoite started to get back inside of his vehicle and the officer deployed his taser, which struck Wilhoite in the upper left side and left hip areas. He closed the driver-side door and drove away. The officer suffered injuries to both knees and his jaw. According to Denver7, Wilhoite was arrested around 3:25 p.m. on Sunday.
He appeared in court on Monday, February 24th. While in court, his attorney argued that the charge should be a class four felony, not a class three felony. The judge expressed concerns about what was detailed in the affidavit, noting that the airport pickup line is a "routine, everyday" thing that people go through all the time without resorting to violence.
The judge awarded the defendant a $5,000 professional surety bond or a $500 cash option. Court documents state that Wilhoite paid the $500 and was out of Denver City Jail around 11:30 a.m. A Denver Broncos spokesperson said in a statement, "We are aware of a situation involving Michael Wilhoite that occurred on Sunday and are in the process of gathering more information."
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Wilhoite joined the Broncos' coaching staff in 2023 after previously working for coach Sean Payton in New Orleans as a defensive and special teams assistant in 2019-2020. He was the Los Angeles Chargers' linebackers coach from 2021-2022. Before going into coaching, Wilhoite spent six seasons in the NFL as a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.
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Comments
2025-02-27T21:21-0500 | Comment by: Paul
I say let him coach a prison team with on site housing for the next 5 -10 years.
2025-02-27T21:51-0500 | Comment by: James
This POS should be in jail! Our biggest problems are these judges who WILL NOT do their jobs! One question, was the judge black?! If you don't think is matters you are living in la la land!
2025-02-27T22:39-0500 | Comment by: Dennis
Just another gang member of the National Felons League. Watch the NFL will do nothing. I wonder what the judge would have done with him had it been a judge that he punched?
2025-02-28T00:14-0500 | Comment by: James
No harm, No foul .... the pig got what he deserved .... I hope to see a LOT more of it ......