Getty
Former Jets’ linebacker Darron Lee has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend
The New York Jets are once again starting from scratch this offseason. Head coach Aaron Glenn‘s first season in charge of the team was a mess, thanks to an ugly quarterback depth chart and a defense that was allergic to turnovers. Glenn has been busy as of late, as he’s surprisingly decided to revamp the majority of his coaching staff in the wake of the team’s horrific 2025 campaign.
There’s been a lot of bad news surrounding the Jets over the past few years, and the latest update on one of the team’s former first-round picks, Darron Lee, certainly won’t change that. Lee, who has been out of the NFL since 2020, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend.
Darron Lee Charged with First-Degree Murder
The Jets selected Lee with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, and he quickly became an integral part of their unit. During his three seasons with New York, Lee started 36 of the 40 games he played in, starring as a rangy middle linebacker who could hold up against the run and pass and get to the quarterback from time to time.
Ahead of the 2019 campaign, Lee was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. While he did not reprise his starting role with that team, he did win a Super Bowl during his lone season with them. That ended up being the highlight of his career, though, as Lee hasn’t suited up since 2020, which saw him play two games for the Buffalo Bills.
Lee has had a series of run-ins with the law in the past, but this is easily the most serious of the bunch. Deputies were reportedly dispatched to a residence on Thursday in an effort to provide CPR to a woman, identified as Lee’s girlfriend. The initial findings indicated that her death was the result of a homicide, with Lee being held in prison as the primary suspect.
“Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee, the New York Jets’ first-round pick in 2016, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, the Hamilton County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office announced Friday,” Rich Cimini of ESPN reported. “Lee, 31, a standout at Ohio State, was identified as the suspect and taken into custody Thursday at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.”
Darron Lee Could Face Additional Charges in Murder Case
GettyFormer Jets’ linebacker Darron Lee has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend
It goes without saying that this is a tragic situation, and should Lee be found guilty, he will be in a boatload of trouble. Lee is also being charged with tampering with evidence, and depending on how the investigation goes, he could face even more charges as a result of this crime, which would surely spell bad news for him.
The Jets have surely taken note of this situation, even though Lee is no longer part of their team. While everyone waits for more clarity here (Lee has a court date set for Feb. 11), New York will continue mapping out what its offseason looks like. Glenn still has work to do when it comes to filling out his coaching staff, but once that gets finalized, the front office will have to find a way to make some serious upgrades to their team’s roster.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
More Heavy on Jets
Loading more stories