https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2 ... 5007468572 Broncos release QB Chad Kelly after his bizarre arrest for trespassing By Des Bieler and Cindy Boren
October 24 at 11:32 AM
The Denver Broncos released quarterback Chad Kelly Wednesday morning as he appeared in a Colorado court a day after his arrest on suspicion of criminal trespass. The bizarre incident occurred while defensive star Von Miller was hosting the team’s annual Halloween party.
According to a police affidavit, Kelly entered a home in the Denver suburb of Englewood, Colo., late Monday night and sat on a couch next to a woman who was holding a young child. He was said to be “mumbling incoherently,” and she called for a male companion, who hit Kelly with “a stick in the upper back as he kicked [Kelly] out of the residence,” according to the affidavit.
Chad Kelly's booking photo. (Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office via AP)
The “stick” was later identified by the arresting officer as “an aluminum vacuum tube with plastic ends.” Although the man said the doors to the home were locked, the officer found no signs of forced entry. Security footage from the front of the home was used to create a description of the suspect.
Englewood officers found the 24-year-old Kelly, who matched the description, nearby, in a black SUV parked outside a theater where the team’s Halloween party was taking place. Denver’s 9News reported that Kelly and his girlfriend had attended Miller’s party, but that the quarterback began acting aggressively and was moved from the scene to cool down. He broke free of security and ran to a home about a block away.
Police said Kelly was taken into custody “without incident,” and he was released after posting a $2,500 bond. He appeared briefly in Arapahoe County court Wednesday morning, saying nothing during his appearance. The judge entered a mandatory protection order requiring Kelly to stay from the victims and set Kelly’s next court appearance for Nov. 8, when the district attorney’s office is expected to file formal charges.
Kelly’s release would seem to elevate Denver third-string quarterback Kevin Hogan — who played high school ball at Gonzaga in the District and was waived by the Redskins in September — to the role of Case Keenum’s backup.
“We are disappointed that Chad Kelly was arrested early this morning,” the Broncos said Tuesday in a statement. “Our organization has been in contact with Chad, and we are in the process of gathering more information.”
Broncos General Manager John Elway offered sharper words on his weekly show on Denver sports radio, saying he was “very, very disappointed in Chad,” according to ABC 7. Elway said group get-togethers are “always a good thing,” pointing to the camaraderie that can be created, but added: “One person put a dent in it. We are going to look into this. The charges are very, very serious.”
Kelly put up impressive statistics in college and has an NFL pedigree as the nephew of former Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, but he fell to the final pick of the 2017 NFL draft in part because of character concerns. He was dismissed from Clemson’s program for conduct detrimental to the team, spent a year at a junior college and then, shortly after committing to Ole Miss, was arrested for his role in an altercation at a Buffalo nightclub.
Kelly gained notice for a strong arm, above-average mobility and a fearless on-field approach at Ole Miss, but he also was involved in another off-field incident when he charged onto a high school football field as a brawl broke out during a game featuring his younger brother.
He sat out his rookie season in Denver while recovering from knee and wrist injuries, but he played well enough this summer to prompt the team to release former first-round pick Paxton Lynch and install Kelly as Keenum’s backup. As Keenum has struggled to perform consistently during the Broncos' 3-4 start, fans increasingly called for Kelly to take over as the starter.