Former NFL player Gosder Cherilus was arrested on Saturday night after allegedly causing a disturbance aboard a Delta flight that included urinating on a fellow passenger. The incident occurred during a flight bound for Dublin, Ireland, prompting the aircraft to be rerouted back to Logan Airport in Boston. Upon landing, Cherilus was taken into custody by law enforcement, facing charges of disturbing a flight crew and disorderly conduct, as reported by Boston 25 News.
According to a statement from Delta, the airline confirmed the incident, stating, “Delta flight 154 from Boston to Dublin on August 17 returned to Boston Logan due to an unruly customer and was met by law enforcement. Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful behavior and will cooperate with law enforcement to that end. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel.”
The altercation allegedly involved Cherilus urinating on another passenger, an act that led to his arrest. The former first-round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft is scheduled to be arraigned in East Boston District Court on Monday.
As a result of the incident, the flight’s passengers were significantly impacted, with their original journey to Dublin interrupted. Delta rebooked the affected travelers onto a new flight, which departed for Dublin on Sunday night and was expected to arrive on Monday.
Gosder Cherilus, a former offensive tackle, enjoyed a nine-year career in the NFL after being selected 17th overall by the Detroit Lions in 2008. He spent five seasons with the Lions before moving on to play two seasons each with the Indianapolis Colts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Over his career, Cherilus appeared in 132 games, starting in 116 of them, before retiring from professional football in 2016.
The 40-year-old Cherilus is a Massachusetts native, having played high school football at Somerville High School, where he earned All-Scholastic honors from the Boston Globe and Boston Herald as a senior. He continued his football career at Boston College, where he played all four years and was later inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame on October 27, 2023.
Post-retirement, Cherilus has remained active in his community and business ventures. His Instagram bio lists him as the CEO of Bastion Companies and the founder of the Gosder Cherilus Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting underprivileged communities.
This recent incident marks a troubling chapter in Cherilus’ life, drawing attention away from his achievements on and off the field and casting a shadow over his post-NFL endeavors. The legal proceedings following his arrest will likely determine the next steps for the former football star as he navigates this challenging situation.
