Cleveland Browns defensive end Lonnie Phelps was arrested Wednesday night and charged with drunken driving in Key West, Fla. Following the incident, the franchise decided to waive him.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s report obtained by cleveland.com, the 23-year-old defender crashed his SUV into a restaurant and is also facing approximately $300,000 in damages.
The report additionally states that Phelps was refusing to cooperate with authorities at the time of his arrest. He damaged property at the Red Shoe Island Bistro in Key West. The crash occurred approximately before 8:50 p.m. ET.
TMZ Sports obtained photos of the crash, which showed a black Hyundai sports utility vehicle wedged into the side of the restaurant. Phelps was also with his girlfriend at the time of the crash. The police report adds that she was also uncooperative in talking with authorities.
The Browns released a statement Thursday that read, “We are aware of the incident, gathering more information, and have no further comment at this time.” But the team soon after made the decision to waive the edge rusher, per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Browns now have waived DE Lonnie Phelps. https://t.co/jI6RqC9oFI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 20, 2024
Phelps signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent in May 2023. He was considered a local addition to the franchise after growing up in Cincinnati and playing collegiately at nearby Miami (Ohio). He eventually transferred to Kansas State for the 2022 season.
While at Miami and KSU, Phelps racked up 23 sacks and snatched 29.5 tackles for loss. During his freshman season at Miami, he saw action in 13 games and went on to collect 4.5 sacks. Two seasons later, Phelps raised his sack number to a career-high 9.5.
Phelps produced seven sacks in his only campaign at Manhattan, Kansas. He managed to match his career-best TFLs total with the Wildcats with 11.5.
The Cincinnati native eventually joined the Browns after going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. Phelps found his way onto the practice squad after initially being released on Aug. 29. Following the season, he signed a reserve/futures contract with the Browns.
