Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and All-Pro return specialist KaVontae Turpin was arrested over the weekend, once again drawing headlines for his growing list of off-field troubles.
According to Collin County court records, the 28-year-old was booked Saturday on two misdemeanor charges: possession of marijuana (less than two ounces) and unlawful carrying of a weapon.
Turpin was released on Sunday, but the Dallas Cowboys have not stated the arrest.
Still, the incident has prompted renewed scrutiny into Turpin’s troubled past, particularly his history of domestic violence, including a disturbing 2018 assault on ex-girlfriend Raiesha Atwater.
KaVontae Turpin Assaulted Ex-Girlfriend Raiesha Atwater
In October 2018, while still a star wide receiver at TCU, Turpin was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend Raiesha Atwater in a Fort Worth apartment complex parking lot.
According to reports, he dragged and slammed her to the ground in what prosecutors described as a clear case of family violence.
He later pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury and was sentenced to two years of deferred adjudication probation.
As part of the plea, Turpin was required to complete a 27-week Partner Abuse Intervention Program with SafeHaven of Tarrant County.
At the time, prosecutor Lloyd Whelchel said,
While KaVontae Turpin may have been a star on the football field, his actions here are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
That wasn’t Turpin’s first run-in with the law involving Atwater.
In March 2018, he was also charged with battery in a New Mexico incident involving the same woman.
Although that case was eventually pleaded down to a disorderly conduct charge, it laid bare a pattern of troubling behavior, one that would ultimately contribute to Turpin going undrafted in the NFL, despite his collegiate success.
Turpin issued a public apology after his 2018 assault case, saying:
“I grabbed and pulled Ms. Atwater and I understand she felt pain as a result. For this, I am truly sorry… I accept full responsibility for my actions.”
KaVontae Turpin Has Recently Signed A Contract With The Cowboys
Despite the legal issues, KaVontae Turpin eventually clawed his way into the league.
After bouncing around leagues such as the Fan Controlled Football League, playing overseas in Poland, and starring in the USFL (where he earned MVP honors with the New Jersey Generals), Turpin was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2022.
He quickly established himself as a dynamic return specialist, earning two Pro Bowl selections and being named First-Team All-Pro this past season.
He recently inked a three-year, $13.5 million contract extension with the Cowboys.
As of now, the Cowboys have not announced any disciplinary actions, and the NFL has not commented on whether Turpin could face a suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy.
