Malik McDowell apologizes following recent arrest for disorderly conduct

On the morning of the Seattle Seahawks’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seahawks rookie defensive lineman Malik McDowell was arrested on disorderly conduct charges outside a nightclub in Atlanta, Georgia. According to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, McDowell was allegedly involved in a dispute over money he was owed, and the scene soon got out of hand.

A friend of McDowell’s, Kevin Epps, tried to call McDowell, according to the police report. Both men were permitted into the club, but were later asked to leave when they allegedly emptied two bottles of alcohol into a bucket.

“The odor of an alcoholic beverage, that was coming from (McDowell’s) person, was prevalent,” Officer Angel Hidalgo wrote in the report. “I repeatedly had to give him instructions and at one point he threw himself down on the ground in a tantrum.”

Epps then started yelling at the officers, and he was arrested as well. Both men were charged with disorderly conduct and later released on a $325 bond, the report states.

A report from TMZ Sports also noted that McDowell went on a tirade towards both police officers who tried getting him into the back seat of their patrol car, allegedly saying, “F*** both of ya'll hoe ass n*****, p**** ass cops, I bet I get out, I got more money than ya'll, ya'll ain't got enough money for me, p**** ass crackers, broke ass n*****."

McDowell has since apologized for his actions in a brief message relayed on his Twitter account:

“I am embarrassed by the situation and my actions on Saturday,” the statement read. “I would like to apologize to the Atlanta Police Department, SL Lounge, the entire Seattle Seahawks organization and my teammates. I am a young man who made a mistake and am constantly working towards getting better.”

The 21-year-old McDowell was Seattle’s top pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, but he’s missed (and will continue to miss) all of this season due to what Pete Carroll described as a “really bad concussion” following an ATV accident in July. He’s currently on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, and there’s still been plenty of speculation as to whether or not he’ll ever suit up for Seattle.

Head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday that he and general manager John Schneider met with McDowell, and described him as “very remorseful,” and that “hopefully this will be a learning experience for him.”