Who is Captain Munnerlyn? Former NFL defensive back accused of strangling woman

Per a report from WSOC-TV, former NFL defensive back Captain Munnerlyn was arrested for assaulting and strangling a woman on Jan. 10 with the incident occurring one week prior in North Carolina. Munnerlyn went to Lincoln County to turn himself in after an arrest warrant was issued by neighboring county Mecklenburg.

The alleged victim claimed she had trouble breathing and also accused Munnerlyn of kicking her in the face. Munnerlyn has posted a $7,500 bond and is due back in court on March 1.

Munnerlyn partook in 10 NFL seasons, most of them with the Carolina Panthers

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Munnerlyn last played in an NFL regular season game in 2018, the last of 10 professional seasons. He entered the league as a seventh-round pick for the Carolina Panthers in 2009 after starring as both a defensive back and a returner with the University of South Carolina. The former Gamecocks star where earned first-team All-SEC honors following the 2007 college season.

Munnerlyn would spend seven seasons over two stints with the Panthers, working through a three-year interlude with the Minnesota Vikings (2014-16). After his latter term in Carolina ended (two seasons into a four-year, $21 million contract), Munnerlyn attempted to make the Buffalo Bills' roster but was cut shortly before the start of the 2019 season. His career ended with 529 tackles, including 22 for a loss and 10 sacks.

During his time in the NFL, Munnerlyn earned 12 interceptions, returning five for touchdowns. All five came with the Panthers, setting a franchise record that still stands today. To date, he's the only defensive player in Panthers history to earn at least two interceptions returned for touchdowns in multiple seasons, doing so in 2012 and 2013. Munnerlyn also spent three seasons as Carolina's primary punt returner, averaging nine yards on 75 attempts in that span.

His most famous professional moment likely came as a Viking, when he took an Aaron Rodgers fumble back 55 yards for a sealing score in a Week 17 game that clinched Minnesota's NFC North title. The Vikings eventually fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card round, one of three postseason appearances Munnerlyn made throughout his decade of service.

Now 33, Munnerlyn previously dealt with legal issues in 2015, when he was accused of writing bad checks in Las Vegas. He was arrested at a Miami airport shortly after his departure from Buffalo.