Advocate 'disappointed' Jaguars picked player accused of abuse

'I expected better,' says director of domestic violence shelter

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Jaguars fans look forward to a promising season with new draft picks, one local organization that supports domestic violence victims expressed disappointment in the Jaguars for picking wide receiver Dede Westbrook, who has been twice accused of domestic violence.

Quigley House director Peggy Payne said hiring a person with any kind of abuse allegation against him is sending the wrong message to fans.

“I feel like organizations like the Jaguars should be held to a higher standard,” Payne said.

Westbrook, who was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy as a University of Oklahoma wide receiver, was arrested twice – in 2012 and 2013 – but was never convicted. According to the Tulsa World, Westbrook was accused by the mother of his two children of throwing her to the ground in the 2012 incident and of biting her and punching her in the jaw with a closed fist in 2013. The charges were dropped in both cases.

Westbrook, who was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft, said he believes he's grown up and learned from his past.

“It made me a lot wiser. It made me think things over. For every situation I go about, I think it through twice or three times and get someone else’s opinion and make sure it’s correct all the way around,” Westbrook said. “For Jacksonville, I thank them for believing in me, and I’m going to do everything that I possibly could to help this organization win.”

But Payne said Westbrook's actions off the field matter.

“I expected better,” Payne said. “I was expecting our hometown team wouldn’t be like the rest of the country and wouldn’t choose someone because they can throw a ball and run faster.”

Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tom Couglin said the team will give Westbrook all the support and services he needs.

“We’ll do everything in our power to make sure that he is a very good citizen,” Coughlin said. “We will help him with whatever issue that he has.”

Coughlin said when the team was scouting Westbrook and questioning him about the incidents, Westbrook took complete responsibility for everything.

“What he did say was that his children are what his life is all about now,” Couglin said.

Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell said Westbrook will be expected to leave his past behind him.

“There is no choice now.  Obviously, with Coach (Doug) Marrone and Coach Coughlin here, there is no margin for error for him off the field,” Caldwell said.

Marrone echoed Caldwell's assertion that Westbrook will be expected to toe the line.

“At the end of the day, you have to make sure, at least from my standpoint, that you’re communicating to the player, ‘Listen, we understand what’s happened. There’s remorse. There’s a learning curve, but make no mistake about it, it’s a short leash,’” Marrone said.

Payne said she hopes Westbrook will be a different man now and that the Jaguars will be true to their word and hold him accountable.

“I hope they are training their staff and their players,” she said. “He is theirs now, so they can hold him accountable.”


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