A former NFL player has been arrested on an assault charge after he allegedly brawled with a United Airlines worker at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, according to reports.
Brendan Langley, a 27-year-old former Denver Broncos third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft who currently plays for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, was booked on a single count of simple assault, TMZ reported, citing police.
The fight was recorded by another passenger, who shared the footage on Twitter on May 22. The video quickly went viral and has been viewed millions of times.
The unidentified United employee appeared to hit Langley, who then knocked him to the floor by unleashing a flurry of blows.
According to footage that was shared online, the worker threw the first punch, but the videos immediately start mid-fight and fail to show what actually led to the conflict.
Authorities told the entertainment news network only Langley was arrested, but not the employee, despite Langley claiming he didn’t start the brawl and hadn’t thrown the first punch. The worker was taken to a hospital for treatment.
A witness said the pair started arguing before pushing, slapping, and eventually punching each other. According to sources, the altercation started because Langley used a wheelchair to transport his luggage, instead of a paid-for luggage cart, The Daily Mail reported.
In the video, the uniformed staffer is seen in a verbal conflict with Langley shortly before the worker slaps him across the face once.
“You saw that [explicit]?” Langley is then heard shouting at a bystander before pummeling the worker to the ground, delivering a blow to his head that causes the employee to stumble backward behind a check-in desk onto the conveyor belt.
After the worker staggered back up to his feet, he appears bloodied to his head. He then confronts the man again, but the pair didn’t get physical again from then onward.
“You want some more? He wants some more!” Langley is heard yelling repeatedly before another employee joins the conflict to calm them down. The passenger was then removed from the airport by police, which is not seen in the clip.
A United Airlines spokesman said in a statement that the air carrier “does not tolerate violence of any kind at our airports or on board our planes.”
“We are working with local authorities to further investigate this matter,” the spokesman said, without stating whether the United employee would face disciplinary actions for his role in the brawl.