Former Tide Tackle Now in NFL Wanted in Tuscaloosa for Animal Cruelty

A former Alabama Crimson Tide star is wanted in Tuscaloosa on animal cruelty charges after police allegedly found two severely neglected dogs abandoned at a house he rented here.

Information about the case comes from a petition filed Wednesday seeking a judge's order to seize custody of one of the dogs from Buggs and place it in the care of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Animal Shelter.

According to the suit, police and animal control officers responded to a house on Diamond Circle in Tuscaloosa, where two dogs had been left in the backyard.

Police allegedly discovered a grey and white pitbull in a screened-in back porch "surrounded in feces with no access to food or water."

They also found "a black Rottweiler mix locked in a metal cage in direct sunlight with no access to food or water."

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Both dogs were taken from the property, and according to the petition, the pit bull was euthanized by the animal shelter in April because it became aggressive and because their heartworm treatment failed.

The 3-year-old Rottweiler weighed only 52 pounds when it was seized and tested positive for Parvo.

The petition says the house where the dogs were found was being rented to Buggs, who operates a hookah lounge on Greensboro Avenue, but that the lease was terminated last month over unpaid rent.

According to the petition, a Tuscaloosa Police Investigator has obtained two warrants for second-degree animal cruelty on Buggs and has not yet been able to arrest him. The charges are misdemeanors.

A TPD spokesperson confirmed the warrants and did not comment further on Wednesday.

The court documents filed so far this week are civil, not criminal, and seek to prevent the surviving dog from being returned to Bugg's care.

Buggs started his football career at Mississippi Coast Community College. He was the No. 1 player in junior college in the 2017 recruiting class and committed to Alabama.While at Alabama, Buggs started 28 games over two seasons. During 2017, he totaled 51 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks en route to helping Alabama win the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship over the Georgia Bulldogs.During his senior year, Buggs totaled 51 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three passes batted down, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery en route to a national championship appearance against the Clemson Tigers. He was named All-SEC by the Associated Press and the SEC coaches.

Buggs was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft. Buggs spent three seasons in Pittsburgh, totaling 31 tackles and two tackles for loss.

In 2022, Buggs signed with the Detroit Lions, starting 13 games for Detroit. He totaled 46 tackles and 10 quarterback hits.

Buggs spent the start of 2023 with Detroit before being cut by the Lions, then he was picked up and spent the rest of the season on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.

For more information as it becomes available, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.