Jermaine Burton did not travel with the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend and now there appears to be a reason.
The Cincinnati Enquirer says it made a public records request to local police after the coaching staff decided Burton would not join the team for Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The request yielded two reports and a recording of a 911 call made by a woman who claimed Burton assaulted her on the morning of Dec. 30, three days before the game.
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) warms up before a game against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 22, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. (Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Enquirer reported that the two had gone out together and had argued. Burton later allegedly followed the woman to her apartment, strangled her and stole her phone while threatening suicide while holding a knife to her neck.
“Jermaine Burton from the Bengals just broke into my house,” the woman said in the 911 call, according to the outlet. “He broke my phone… He’s been quite abusive. He does a lot of things that I can’t tolerate.”
The woman also told police that Burton “broke into my house,” “hit me and left.”
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton warms up before a game against the Washington Commanders on Sept. 23, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. (Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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“We are aware of the information related to Jermaine Burton. We will continue to evaluate as we gather additional details and will not be commenting further at this time,” the Bengals said in a statement.
While playing for Alabama in 2022, Burton allegedly punched a Tennessee fan who had stormed the field after the Volunteers beat the Crimson Tide.
After the Bengals selected Burton in the third round, possibly as an eventual replacement for Tee Higgins, head coach Zac Taylor said he felt “really comfortable” selecting him despite concerns about his character.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) walks to the locker room at halftime of a Week 11 game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Nov. 17, 2024. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Burton appeared in 14 games, but was rarely on the field and never played half of the offensive snaps in any game. He was targeted just 14 times and made four catches for 107 yards on the season.
