What happened to Perrion Winfrey? Browns release DT over investigation on gun possession and threatening a woman

Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey is now under investigation after a woman reported that he threatened her and had a gun, per FOX 8.

In the wake of the news, the franchise has cut ties with the defensive lineman, per Ari Meirov on Twitter.

The incident occurred in a hotel lobby. Two women saw the lineman before one hurled an insult his way. Winfrey is said to have escalated the situation by flashing a gun and angrily hurling a threat.

It is alleged that a video exists of the encounter, although it is unclear just how much was recorded. The defensive lineman left the scene before police arrived.

This was not the first bizarre incident involving the tackle in recent weeks, either. He reported that he was the victim of an armed robbery downtown by a group of men with guns and a vehicle.

Who is Perrion Winfrey?

Perrion Winfrey at Los Angeles v Cleveland

Perrion Winfrey's first season in the NFL came in 2022 with the Browns. He was drafted with the 108th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Winfrey is just about one month away from his 23rd birthday and now finds himself under investigation.

In his lone season with the team, Winfrey saw action in 13 games, logging two passes defended and half of a sack in addition to 22 combined tackles. He had eight solo tackles and 14 assisted tackles as well as one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits.

Browns suffer first big non-Deshaun Watson controversy of 2023

Deshaun Watson at Baltimore v Cleveland

The incident is not the first scandal to hit the franchise in recent years. 2023 will be the first full season for Deshaun Watson as a starter for the organization following one of the biggest controversies to hit the sport.

At one point, dozens of simultaneous lawsuits hit the quarterback with accusations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions.

Watson never went to court and settled his lawsuits. He missed about 20 months of NFL action at least in part due to the litigation. While this was ongoing, he was traded from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns, bringing along his legal baggage.

Will the Browns manage to go the rest of the season untouched by off-the-field controversy?