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New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore is facing one count of assault and battery on a family/household members stemming from an incident that took place in August, according to Attleborough District Court documents obtained by WCVB on Wednesday (December 31).
Barmore, 26, was reported to have been in a relationship with the victim, who claims he became angry with her about the air conditioning temperature in his bedroom. The woman said Barmore grabbed her phone from her hands as she was attempting to leave his home, stating that she "intended to open the door and scream for help but Christian grabbed her before she could and threw her to the floor."
The victim said Barmore grabbed her by the shirt "in the area of the neck" as she attempted to get up before eventually letting go. Barmore allegedly rushed at the victim, but never touched her, according to the police report.
The incident reportedly took place in front of a 2-year-old child shared by Barmore and the victim. The woman told police she had bruises and sent photos to officers showing her injuries.
The victim was also reported to have called a car service provided to Patriots players, which she used to take herself and her daughter to Delaware. The woman claims that she didn't initially come forward with her accusations in fear of retaliation, but decided otherwise in October, according to the police report.
The victim later sent an email to police on December 4 claiming she didn't want to move forward with the charges. A criminal complaint was issued for Barmore on December 16 and he's scheduled for an arraignment on February 3, 2026, five days prior to Super Bowl LX.
The Patriots issued a statement shared by ESPN's Mike Reiss confirming knowledge of the accusations against Barmore.
“The New England Patriots are aware of reports regarding a pending February arraignment involving Christian Barmore, which stems from an alleged domestic incident that occurred in August," the statement reads. "The Patriots were made aware at the time of the incident and informed the NFL in a timely manner. The matter remains part of an ongoing legal process. We will respect that process, continue to monitor the situation closely, as we have over the past few months, and cooperate fully with the league. We will have no further comment at this time.”
The charge against Barmore was reported one day after Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs was reported to be facing a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge for an alleged assault incident reported on December 2, a police report obtained by WCVB. A woman who said she was working as a private chef filed a report on December 16 claiming Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom and allegedly smacked her across the face after discussing money owed to her.
The woman said she attempted to push Diggs away, at which point he allegedly choked her with his elbow around her neck and later threw her on the bed. The woman initially opted not to file charges on December 16 before deciding otherwise on December 22, authorities confirmed.
Diggs' attorney, Michael DiStefano, made a remote appearance in Dedham District Court on Tuesday (December 30) and sought to have the police report connected with the incident impounded, claiming the details should've remained sealed and confirmed that his client had already made a financial offer to resolve the issue with the alleged victim.
“As we speak, they’re working to come to an agreement on that,” DiStefano said via Boston 25 News.