Mark Rypien, Redskins Super Bowl MVP, pleads not guilty to domestic violence

Former Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien pleaded not guilty on Monday to a charge of domestic violence against his wife.

Rypien was arrested in Spokane, Washington, Sunday after an incident involving his wife.

Rypien, 56, was released without bail; his next court appearance was scheduled for July 31. Prosecutors initially asked for a no-contact order between Rypien and his wife Danielle at the brief hearing, but she argued against that.

Video captured by the news station KHQ showed Rypien being handcuffed and led into a police vehicle Sunday. KHQ added that “his wife was seen to be crying.” A witness who saw the couple called police and said Rypien’s wife said he had struck her.

Police found the couple near a bank in Spokane, with Danielle “lying in the grass,” KHQ reported.

“In response to Mark being arrested for domestic violence, we want you to know that he did not commit any crime. As a family we are deeply concerned about the situation. Occurrences like this one are often chaotic scenes which are not conducive to revealing full clarity about what actually transpires,” Mark and Danielle Rypien said in a joint statement.

The former quarterback announced last year he believes he has chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by repeated concussions while playing in the NFL. He said he believes this condition caused him to have erratic and violent behavior.

Rypien reportedly was also investigated for domestic violence in November 2017, which he blamed at the time on a new psychoactive drug he was taking.

Rypien played eight of his 11 NFL seasons with the Redskins and won two Super Bowls, plus MVP honors for Super Bowl XXVI.

Based in part on wire service reports.