NFL Facing Growing Pressure To Take Action Against Chad Wheeler, Player Accused Of Nearly Killing His Girlfriend

NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant is among the players who have publicly shamed the disgraced lineman.

"If I ever run across you, we are going toe-to-toe because I wouldn’t mind making the news breaking something across your f***ing head then ask you are you still alive?" Bryant tweeted. "I know one thing, the media don’t mind destroying the Black athletes without the facts." 

Chad wheeler if I ever run across you
We are going toe to toe because I wouldn’t mind making the news breaking something across your fucking head then ask you are you still alive?..

I know 1 thing the media don’t mind destroying the black athletes without the facts

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) January 27, 2021

NFL analyst Emmanuel Acho echoed Bryant's sentiment.

For those asking who Chad Wheeler is. Dez’s words are merited. https://t.co/9L4HsDa4lG

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 27, 2021

ESPN reporter Marcus Spears spoke up during a segment on NFL Live, saying Wheeler "needs to be a face that everyone knows."

'We're about to make Chad Wheeler famous because he needs to be a face that everyone knows and sees how wrong disrespectful and how bad it is," Spears said. "Anytime this situation arises, best believe NFL Live is going to make the perpetrator famous."

ESPN's Marcus Spears 'We're about to make Chad Wheeler famous cause he needs to be a face that everyone knows and sees how wrong disrespectful and how bad it is" Anytime this situation arises best believe NFL Live is going to make the perpetrator famous" @mspears96
pic.twitter.com/RCObFWisb5

— gifdsports (@gifdsports) January 27, 2021

Joy Taylor, co-host of The Herd on FS1, identified herself as a survivor of domestic violence while speaking out on Wheeler's actions. 

"When I saw the story, like many survivors of domestic violence, it was very triggering for me. I've had man twice my size try to strangle me, being on top of me, choke me and try to suffocate me at the same time," she said. "I'm actually encouraged that so many people have reacted the way they did to this story. A very stern reaction is what I'm seeing — that he should be arrested, that he should go to jail." 

My thoughts on Chad Wheeler. Visit @uri_nyc
https://t.co/UuwcpeGRo7 for more info on Domestic Abuse pic.twitter.com/vUlC1kDCSz

— Joy Taylor (@JoyTaylorTalks) January 28, 2021

Critics of the NFL are identifying the incident as another case of the league showing double standards for white players, particularly noting that Colin Kaepernick is still paying the price for kneeling during the national anthem. 

If the allegations are true the nfl need to blackball chad wheeler the same way they did Kaepernick

— R e i k (@ReiktheRuler) January 27, 2021

Wheeler allegedly threw his girlfriend on the bed and choked her until she was unconscious after she refused to bow to him, as Blavity previously reported. Police also said the football player tried to smother the woman with one hand while choking her with the other. The girlfriend ran to the bathroom and locked the door before calling 911, telling the operator that she was being "killed."

Police broke down the bathroom door when they arrived and found the woman bleeding with a dislocated arm. Wheeler had to be forcefully detained. 

The 27-year-old had another violent incident in 2015 when he punched out the windows of an apartment before getting into a physical altercation with an officer. The former left tackle at the University of Southern California is now charged with suspicion of felony domestic violence. He was released on a $400,000 bond Tuesday, according to NBC Sports.