Everything to Know About Philadelphia Eagles Player Josh Sills and His Legal Controversies
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Here's a breakdown of Josh Sills' legal controversies
Josh Sills, an offensive lineman on the Philadelphia Eagles, was found not guilty of first-degree felony charges for rape and kidnapping.
The August 2023 ruling was made after the jury deliberated for about three hours following a 5-day trial.
After the verdict was read, Sills said, “I’ve done nothing wrong, and I am glad that was proven today."
Months prior, the Ohio native was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of first-degree felony charges following an investigation conducted by the Guernsey County Sheriff's Office. Per the report, Sills allegedly engaged in non-consensual sexual activity and held a woman against her will in December 2019.
Following the indictment, the Philadelphia Eagles released a statement acknowledging the accusations against the offensive lineman. Sills was placed on the NFL’s commissioner exempt list, preventing him from practicing, playing or traveling with the team. He did not play in the 2023 Super Bowl.
After being found not guilty, Sills was removed from the NFL’s commissioner exempt list. In a statement, the Eagles said he “will return to the team’s active roster."
Sills entered the League in 2022 and has played in one game since. Prior to joining the Philadelphia Eagles, he played college football for two different schools as a result of a transfer.
Here's everything to know about Sills, including the crimes he was accused of and the court's ruling.
Who is Josh Sills?
Josh Sills, 25, is an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles. Since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2022, the rookie played four snaps on special teams in a Week 5 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Prior to entering the League, the Ohio native played college football at West Virginia from 2016 to 2019 before transferring to Oklahoma State in 2020.
What crimes was Josh Sills accused of?
In a police report obtained by PEOPLE, Sills was accused of forcing a woman to perform oral sex on him for "approximately 20 minutes" in the back of his truck around 2:00 a.m. on Dec. 5, 2019. The alleged incident occurred after the football player had given the woman a ride home from a local cafe in Ohio.
The Guernsey County Sheriff's Office documents explicitly detail the alleged situation that took place. According to police, two women were on the scene: The alleged victim forced to perform the sexual activity and her cousin. Reportedly, her cousin had gone inside when the alleged assault occurred.
Per the report, the alleged victim was 21 years old at the time and had known Sills for approximately seven or eight years, having gone to high school with him. The responding officer reported bruising behind the victim's knee, per the police report.
Related: Philadelphia Eagles Player Josh Sills Indicted on Rape, Kidnapping Charges Days Before Super Bowl
What was Josh Sills' indictment?
Sills was indicted on two counts of first-degree felony charges: rape and kidnapping. The charges against the Eagles offensive lineman stem from an incident with a woman on Dec. 5, 2019, in Guernsey County, Ohio, according to the indictment.
According to prosecutors, Sills "purposely compelled" the victim to "submit by force or threat of force" to sexual conduct. The charges were for felony rape of the first degree. He was also accused of kidnapping the woman.
The indictment alleged that Sills "did, by force, threat, or deception, remove" the victim from "the place where she was found or restrain the liberty of her for the purpose of facilitating the commission of a felony."
When did Josh Sills appear in court?
Sills was indicted by a grand jury following an investigation conducted by the Guernsey County Sheriff's Office. The indictment, which recommended the first-degree felony charges, was filed on Jan. 31.
The trial began on Aug. 1 and lasted five days.
Has the Philadelphia Eagles team released a statement?
In a statement issued to PEOPLE, the Philadelphia Eagles said, "The organization is aware of the legal matter involving Josh Sills. We have been in communication with the league office and are in the process of gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time."
The team also posted the statement to its official Twitter account on Feb. 1.
After Sills was found not guilty, the Eagles announced that he “will return to the team’s active roster."
Related: Police Report Details Disturbing Allegations Against Philadelphia Eagles' Josh Sills
Did Josh Sills play in the Super Bowl?
When the Philadelphia Eagles took on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Feb. 12 in Arizona, Sills was not allowed to play. The NFL released a statement noting that the indicted offensive lineman had been placed on the Commissioner Exempt List.
"Sills may not participate in practices and games or travel with the team while on the Commissioner Exempt List," the League said in a statement released on Feb. 1. "The matter will be reviewed under the NFL's personal conduct policy."
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
