Ex-Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien Arrested on Domestic Violence Charge

Former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien was arrested Sunday and charged with fourth-degree assault, according to Luke Thoburn of KHQ.com.

Rypien pleaded not guilty during his court appearance Monday.

Per that report, authorities responded to a call in northern Spokane, Washington, and when they arrived at the scene, "Rypien was standing in the grass of the Washington Trust Bank there, with his wife lying in the grass. At this time it is not clear why the couple had stopped at the intersection, how police were called to the scene, and who placed the call."

Additionally, "Police said they were dispatched to the area of Maple and Garland after a witness stated Rypien's wife was complaining of stomach pains, allegedly from Rypien hitting her. Rypien's wife told police she did not want her husband to be arrested."

Rypien told the court he "only hit his wife to remove her hands from his face," saying she put her hands on his face while he was driving during the argument.

A medical team evaluated his wife, though she did not require further medical treatment. Police then reportedly spoke to Rypien and his wife for 45 minutes before arresting him.

In March 2018, Rypien told KHQ.com that he suffered from depression and other mental health issues, which he believed stemmed from suffering brain injuries during his NFL playing days.

"I suffer from a complex stew of mental health conditions," he said. "Dark places, depression, anxiety, addictions, poor choices, poor decisions, brought about by dozens of concussions and thousands of sub-concussive injuries from playing this sport."    

He was also arrested in Nov. 2017, with the police report "describing an episode of domestic violence involving Rypien and his wife, Danielle," though the charges and case against the former quarterback were later dropped.

"I don't remember that night," Rypien said, saying that he had an adverse reaction to a new medication he was on. "I remember losing control."    

"Mark had never said a mean word to me the first two years we were together," Danielle Rypien told John Blanchette of the Spokesman-Review in March 2018. "Never had an argument. And he just snapped out of the blue. There was no trigger. It didn't make sense. And later on, he was like, 'What happened?' He felt bad for days, to where it was crushing him that he'd done that."

He also said in the interview with KHQ.com that he attempted to take his own life at one point.

"I took 150 pills and a bottle of booze," he said. "If it wasn't for my wife coming home and finding me on the floor, and shoving hydrogen peroxide down my throat, and charcoal, to throw up all these pills, I wouldn't be here today."  

The 56-year-old Rypien played in parts of 11 NFL seasons with Washington (1988-93), the Cleveland Browns (1994), St. Louis Rams (1995, 1997), Philadelphia Eagles (1996) and Indianapolis Colts (2001). He was the Super Bowl MVP in 1991 and a two-time Pro Bowler.