Former NFL player Gosder Cherilus apologized after being arrested for allegedly urinating on a passenger during a Delta flight from Boston to Ireland.
The flight was forced to return to Boston's Logan International Airport this past Sunday due to Cherilus' behavior. Massachusetts State Police described him as "irate and uncooperative" when asked to leave the plane.
Cherilus, who played for the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said in a statement he posted to X (formerly Twitter) that he had taken a sleeping medication he wasn't used to after learning of the flight’s delay. He apologized, saying the medication led to behavior that didn’t represent his true character.
According to the arrest report, Cherilus appeared drunk before boarding and had an argument with another passenger over seating. About an hour into the flight, he urinated on an elderly woman and hit an elderly man on his way back to his seat.
Cherilus pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing a flight crew during his arraignment in court.
Many people had an understandable reaction when learning of the event.
Others were still waiting for some details before they formed an opinion.
But just imagine what it would be like to hear that from your own grandmother.
People made light of the incident.
Many folks had some thoughts about the sleep aid he said he took.
Still, some people pointed out that needing to urinate becomes inevitable for us all.
Others pointed out that airplane bathrooms and Cherilus' 280lb NFL frame perhaps don't fit together well.
Most everyone's reaction was summed up by one commenter.
Cherilus did not comment to reporters outside the courthouse.