Ex-NFL player once brutally assaulted an officer at Newark airport resulting in blood bath
Former Denver Broncos cornerback/wide receiver Brendan Langley was acquitted of assault charges on a United Express employee.

Former Broncos CB/WR Brendan Langley (Image via IMAGO/X)
Brendan Langley’s football career wasn’t going so well, but it reached a new low after the cornerback/wide receiver assaulted an airport employee. Teams blacklisted Langley, and he was never heard from again.
In February 2022, Langley signed for the CFL side Calgary Stampeders, but the team put him on the suspended list due to travel issues. A month later, in March, the Stampeders suspended Langley indefinitely for assaulting a United Express Airlines ticket agent on May 19, 2022, at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
The court charged him with hitting the United Airlines employee Philipe Rivera, who was left bloodied on the floor. As a result, the Stampeders suspended Langley for the rest of the season.
Former NFL Player Brendan Langley Cleared in Airport Assault Case https://t.co/LgRk7WkDt1
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) April 2, 2025
Brendan Langley fought for his innocence
During the case hearing, Langley told the court that Rivera stopped him using a wheelchair, designated for aged and disabled travelers, to move some of his luggage. After he refused to comply, Rivera provoked him by calling him various derogatory names, ‘Pu***’ and ‘di*****.’

When Rivera realized he wasn’t winning the argument, he slapped Langley in the face. Video evidence, possibly taken by another traveler, proved Langley correct.
The court acquitted Brendan Langley of the assault charges in July 2022. His attorney, Halim Dhanidina, thanked the court for the fair trial.
We are grateful for the court’s decision which puts an end to this ordeal that began nearly two months ago when Mr. Langley was assaulted then wrongfully arrested and charged for exercising his rights under the law.
Halim Dhanidina, Brendan Langley’s attorney told TMZ.
Former three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen came across the leaked footage on social media. Sonnen couldn’t believe Langley faced assault charges even though he defended himself.
“Cleared?!?! Who tried to charge him??!” Chael Sonnen wrote on X.
Cleared?!?! Who tried to charge him??! https://t.co/wyl0aDME82
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) April 2, 2025
Rivera paid the price for his transgression. United Express fired him not long after the verdict.
However, the favorable outcome didn’t save Langley’s career in Canada. The Stampeders moved Langley to the retired list in May 2023.
Is Brendan Langley still playing football?
Brendan Langley was born in Marietta, Georgia, and received education in a local school before the Georgia Bulldogs recruited the four-star defender in 2013. He was the fourth-choice cornerback in Georgia. To give him some much-needed experience, the coaching staff decided to convert him into a wide receiver. However, it didn’t last long.
After just two years with the Bulldogs, Langley entered the transfer portal moved to Lamar University, and switched back to the secondary. He only appeared in four games and primarily was used as a scout team receiver.
Best of luck to Brendan Langley at the next level with the @Broncos ! #PeckEm pic.twitter.com/f13tuRWqL9
— Lamar Cardinals (@LamarAthletics) April 29, 2017
His big break came during his junior year when he caught six interceptions- tied for second place in the FCS. The coaches even handed him the punt return duty on occasions, and he bagged a touchdown and a kickoff return for a score in the same game for the Southland Conference school.
Brendan Langley: Broncos CB turned WR (via @trllang on IG) pic.twitter.com/IPuArO1AwK
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 16, 2019
Langley announced for the draft in 2017. During the NFL Combine, he finished the 40-yard dash in 4.43 sec. The 6-foot-1 sprinter seemed an ideal backup for a team.
Alumni Spotlight: Brendan Langley
— Lamar University Football (@LamarFootball) April 22, 2020
🔴All-American 🇺🇸
⚪️NFL Draft Selection of the Denver Broncos 🏈
🔴Most Interceptions In A Single Game (LU Record)#RedBirdRising | #WeAreLU pic.twitter.com/3INqCeW4Tz
Mock drafts projected him as a late fourth or early fifth-round pick. The Denver Broncos selected him in the third as the 101st overall pick. According to the Athens Banner-Herald, Brendan Langley became the first player in 27 years from Lamar University to be taken in the draft by an NFL team.
Langley appeared in a total of 16 games in Denver, recording 6 combined tackles. The Broncos cut him, and he signed for the Seattle Seahawks practice squad, but he was on the road once again, this time joining the Stampeders in the Canadian Football League until facing assault charges. At present it’s unclear whether Brendan Langley still plays football or not.