(NewsReady.com) – Playing on an NFL team that makes it all the way to the Super Bowl is a feat many only dream of. This year, the Kansas City Chiefs will play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, February 12. One Eagles player won’t be there, however.
On January 31, a Guernsey County, Ohio, grand jury indicted 25-year-old Joshua Sills, an offensive lineman, on two felony charges. Authorities issued him a summons to appear on February 16 at 1 p.m. before the county’s Common Pleas Court, just four days after the Super Bowl.
The charges stem from an alleged incident in December 2019, in which a woman claims Sills forcibly held her against her will and sexually assaulted her.
Philadelphia Eagles backup offensive lineman Joshua Sills will face one count of rape in the first degree and another count of kidnapping in the first degree, stemming from a Dec. 5, 2019 incident, court documents show. https://t.co/TfEMukdCTS
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2023
In the police report Yahoo Sports obtained and viewed, the woman, who claims she has known Sills since high school, detailed the incident. He allegedly prevented her from leaving his truck when he was dropping her and a friend off at a relative’s house and forced himself on her. The incident reportedly left the woman covered in bruises. The indictment states the victim immediately reported the assault to the authorities, and they began an investigation.
The NFL placed Sills on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, preventing him from participating in any team activities. The exclusion prevents his participation in practices, games, and travel, meaning he won’t attend the 2023 Super Bowl.
In any case, it’s unlikely that Sills would have played in the game. The lineman earned his spot on the team through tryouts after going undrafted. He has only played in one game during the regular NFL season. In a statement to ESPN, a team representative said the team management was aware of the allegations and had spoken to league officials but had no further comment.
The Special Prosecutions Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case.
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