The Arizona Cardinals have released defensive end Darius Philon, per AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban. The cut comes on the heels of Philon's arrest on Friday for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Maricopa County Public Record.
The Cardinals released an official statement on Saturday:
We are aware of the situation and very serious allegations involving Darius Philon. We have informed the National Football League as required by the league's Personal Conduct Policy and will comment further when appropriate.
Per KPNX-TV, the Phoenix NBC affiliate, Philon has been released from custody on a judge-ordered $5,000 bond. The judge acknowledged his NFL employment and granted he would be allowed to leave Arizona for job-related matters.
The incident occurred on May 17. Allegedly, Philon pointed a gun and threatened to shoot a woman outside of a Phoenix strip club. According to the police report, the former Cardinal asked the woman and another to come to the car, where he kept his money. While there, he allegedly grabbed a handgun and pointed to the alleged victim's chest, telling her, “Which one of you wants a bullet?” Philon then drove away.
The Cardinals signed Philon to a two-year, $10 million deal on March 21. The contract contained $5 million in guarantees, with a $3 million cap hit in 2019, per Over The Cap.
Previously, the 25-year-old Philon played with the Los Angeles Chargers. In 2018, he had a breakout year. He played in 16 games, started 13, and recorded 33 tackles, seven for loss, with nine quarterback hits and four sacks.
Rookie Zach Allen should now become the starter for the Cardinals. Philon, if signed by another team, will likely receive a suspension from the NFL.
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