Pat's Pepper placed on commissioner's exemption list

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The NFL has placed New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers on the commissioner's exempt list, the league announced Wednesday.

Peppers cannot participate in practices or games while on the roster.

Peppers pleaded not guilty Monday after he was arrested Saturday on strangulation and drug possession charges, police in Braintree, Massachusetts, said.

“I just want to be clear — any act of domestic violence is unacceptable to us as a team, whether you are a player, a staff member. We are wholeheartedly against any kind of domestic violence. I know the organization's position, which I fully support,” coach Jerrod Mayo said Wednesday.

“With that being said, I think Jabril needs to go through the due process. We'll see how that works out. The league has put him on the waiver list and that will give us time to gather more information. At this point, he's not in the building and we Speaking about this as a father of three daughters, I certainly understand the seriousness of the allegations and hope they are not true.”

Peppers, who turns 29 on Oct. 4, is a team captain and in his eighth NFL season. This is his third season with the Patriots.

Police announced Peppers' arrest Monday, saying they responded to a disturbance at a residential address early Saturday morning after a caller indicated two men had been fighting.

Pepper was charged with “assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation and possession of a class B substance believed to be cocaine.”

According to Braintree police, the woman alleged Pepper hit her, choked her “at least six times,” undressed her and left her outside. Police also said Peppers threw the woman to the ground, pushed her head against a wall and strangled her with his hands around her throat.

Peppers answered the door shirtless, shook his head and told police, “I know what's going on,” according to documents. He was arrested without incident.

The police report also states that officers seized a “clear bag containing white powder,” which later tested positive for cocaine.

Police said the woman was treated at home for facial and knee injuries.

The woman told police she and Peppers had been dating “on and off” for about three years.

Peppers pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Monday morning in Quincy (Massachusetts) District Court. He posted $2,500 bail and was ordered to stay away from the woman.

Pepper's attorney, Mark Brofsky, told the court that the evidence in the case “casts genuine doubt on the allegations, including the videotaped evidence.” He said Peppers agreed not to contact the woman.

The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 22, but Peppers was allowed to waive his appearance.

The Patriots next game is Sunday at home against the Houston Texans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.