GUERNSEY COUNTY, Ohio — A jury in Guernsey County found an NFL player and Ohio native not guilty on Friday in connection to a 2019 rape case.
Joshua Sills, a 25-year-old offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, was accused of kidnapping and raping a woman in 2019, but he wasn't indicted until February 2023.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the jury deliberated for three hours following four days of testimony before reaching the not guilty verdict.
“I’d like to thank you for everything you’ve done,” Sills said of the panel. “I’d like to thank my family for supporting me from day one. I’ve done nothing wrong, and am glad that was proven today.”
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued a statement saying he still believes the victim, "But in America, criminal convictions require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury did not see it, and I thank them for doing their duty under the law."
The indictment against Sills was announced just days before the Eagles were set to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. He was immediately placed on the commissioner's exempt list, which forbids a player from practicing or attending games.
Sills played college football at West Virginia University and Oklahoma State University before being signed as an undrafted free agent by Philadelphia in 2022. He's still on the team roster, according to the Eagles' website
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