Former New England Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest has been sidelined from his job as an NFL Network analyst following his arrest Monday for assault with a deadly weapon stemming from a Dec. 9 fracas at a California night spot that was captured on video.
“We are aware of the incident and the video, which is disturbing,” NFL Network spokesman Alex Riethmiller said in a statement on Tuesday. “Willie McGinest will not appear on NFL Network while we review the matter.”
The network’s decision comes after video of the incident surfaced. First posted by TMZ and shared widely on social media, the clip appears to show McGinest, 51, throwing a left hook at a seated patron and later striking him with a bottle.
In the clip, a man alleged to be McGinest approaches a man at a table and bends down to speak to him. As the man begins to rise, the alleged McGinest throws a looping left hand at his head before McGinest’s associates jump into the fray and throw repeated blows at the man as other patrons scatter. McGinest later appears to use a bottle to strike the man with quick, underhanded blows as he struggles on the ground, according to the video.
McGinest went to the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station Monday morning to talk to police about the incident, which took place at a club on Santa Monica Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
After the interview, McGinest was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, according to media reports. He posted a $30,000 bond and was released from custody shortly before 10 a.m.
The three-time Super Bowl champion was a first-round pick of the Patriots in 1994 and played in New England for 12 years before finishing his career with the Browns. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2015.
It wasn’t immediately clear when McGinest will appear in court in connection with the incident or if he had hired an attorney. He hasn’t commented publicly on the matter since his arrest and could not be reached for comment.
The Globe requested an incident report on the Dec. 9 melee on Tuesday morning.
This breaking story will be updated when more information becomes available.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.