Former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney is signing with the Arizona Cardinals, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly. Since Gladney has been acquitted by a jury in Dallas, Texas, on a felony charge of assault a week ago, NFL teams displayed plenty of interest in the former first-round draft pick from TCU.
Gladney excelled in the college ranks, and now that his legal problems are behind him, he’s ready to resume his NFL career. A jury deliberated for less than two hours before unanimously rendering a not guilty verdict.
Jeff Gladney’s agents issue a statement
Brian E. Overstreet and Rodney Williams, Gladney’s agents at Houston-based United Sports Group, issued the following statement at the time.
“First and foremost, this has had a real impact on Jeff Gladney as a person. These situations have very real consequences for the young men involved. This has been a challenging time for Jeff mentally, spiritually and athletically. So, we applaud Jeff for having the courage to stand and fight for his freedom versus these false allegations. We further hope this will encourage other athletes in the future who have been falsely accused, blackmailed or persuaded to provide hush money to make these type of situations go away, to now take a stand and defend themselves as well.
“As I stated previously at the beginning of this case, we have always believed in Jeff Gladney’s innocence. We sincerely thank and appreciate the jurors of Dallas County for their open minds, service and taking their time to see justice instead of a professional athlete. We thank Jeff’s lawyers, former Judge Morris L. Overstreet and Ezekiel Tyson.
“Unfortunately, Jeff has lost a year of his career. We sincerely hope that the NFL will take a page from the criminal justice system going forward and truly believe these guys are innocent until proven guilty. Today, Jeff is in a good place and we look forward to engaging with NFL teams about furthering his career at the appropriate time. Out of respect for the process, we will have no further comments at this time.”
Initial indictment in April 2021
Gladney was indicted by a grand jury last year and released by the Vikings after allegations that he choked, punched, and shoved a woman during an incident in April of 2021.
At the time, Overstreet released the following statement:
“It’s a good thing that innocent until proven guilty still exists in this country. Unfortunately, the Vikings don’t view it the same way. Today, Jeff was indicted which is simply a normal step in the judicial process. It means the case is going to trial and nothing more. It does not speak to his guilt or innocence. We received information that the complaining witness in this case came forward and requested the case not be prosecuted.
“The Vikings did what they thought was best for their organization which we respect, but we still strongly believe in Jeff Gladney’s innocence. We look forward to his day in court so that he can clear his name. At this time, out of respect for the legal process and all parties involved, Jeff and his representatives will have no further comments.”