Chiefs LB Vrabel arrested for theft
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kansas City linebacker Mike Vrabel was arrested Monday and charged with theft from a riverboat casino.
The Switzerland County sheriff's department said Vrabel, 35, was arrested at 5:30 a.m. and released about 5 hours later on $600 cash bond. He was charged with a class D felony.
"It was an unfortunate misunderstanding, and I take full responsibility for the miscommunication," Vrabel said in a statement issued through his agent. "I feel comfortable that after talking with the appropriate parties, we will resolve this matter."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The incident happened at the Belterra Casino in Florence, Ind. A call to the security department of the casino was not immediately returned.
Vrabel, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots, is a member of the NFLPA executive committee and one of the plaintiffs in the players' antitrust lawsuit against the NFL. A hearing is scheduled Wednesday in Minneapolis in federal court in the lawsuit.
Vrabel was traded from the Patriots to the Chiefs before the 2009 season and was a starter on the team last season that won the AFC West title.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are aware of the reports regarding Mike Vrabel, but we are not permitted to have contact with Mike at this time," the Chiefs said in a statement. "We understand that Mike has communicated publicly that the matter is a misunderstanding for which he takes full responsibility. We hope it is resolved for Mike in a positive way."