Redskins' Stubblefield Arrested

Dana Stubblefield of the Washington Redskins was arrested on charges of assaulting his wife in a dispute about luggage.

The 315-pound defensive lineman insists he did not hit her, calling what happened "just one of those normal arguments you get with your wife."

Stubblefield was arrested at the couples' home in Great Falls after an argument escalated and Kim Stubblefield called police, Fairfax County police said.

There were no signs of physical injury and she declined medical treatment, a police spokeswoman said.

"Nobody got hurt, nobody was drinking, nobody was doing anything out of the ordinary," Stubblefield said from practice Thursday.

Stubblefield was taken to Fairfax County jail. He was released on $2,500 bail and told not to have any contact with his wife for 48 hours.

"Didn't realize that if the cops were called that I'd have to be taken down," Stubblefield said.

Coach Norv Turner, his high-profile team off to a 1-2 start, said Stubblefield will not be disciplined, although that could change if he's convicted.

"It's something Dana has to work out," Turner said. "It's a family matter at home. It's not a team issue."

An NFL spokesman declined comment but cited the league's personal conduct policy. A player arrested or charged with a crime involving violence or the threat of violence must be evaluated by professional experts.

If a court determines a player violated the law, he faces a fine or suspension without pay.

Stubblefield would not say why he and wife were arguing about luggage. But he said only words were exchanged.

"It was obvious that the argument wasn't that bad because our two kids were sleeping right down the hall, and they never woke up," he said.

Stubblefield said he is focusing on Sunday's game against the unbeaten New York Giants.

"I went to Norv and told him that it's not a distraction," he said. "You don't have to worry, my mind is on New York 100 percent."

The 29-year-old lineman joined the Redskins in 1998 as a free agent but has yet to return to top form. With San Francisco, he was the NFL defensive rookie of the year in 1993 and NFL defensive player of the year in 1997.

His arrest comes at a time of discord for the Redskins. With a $100 million payroll, they were regarded by many as a favorite to reach the Super Bowl. But they are struggling on the field and have lost their best receiver, Michael Westbrook, for the season with a torn knee ligament.

In addition, safey Mark Carrier was suspended for one game for applying a helmet-to-helmet hit.

"On any team, you're always trying to stay on top of distractions," Turner said. "Obviously, when you're struggling, they become the issue. When things are going good, nobody pays attention to them."

Stubblefield's arrest also came on the same day Mustafah Muhammad of the Indianapolis Colts was suspended without pay for two games by the NFL. He was convicted Aug. 29 of beating his pregnant wife. She died 10 days later as the result of injuries from an auto accident, and the baby was stillborn.

"The NFL simply cannot tolerate conduct that endangers the public or casts a negative light on the league and its players," commissioner Paul Tagliabue wrote in a letter to Muhammad.

Muhammad was sentenced to a suspended one-year jail term and placed on probation for one year.

Stubblefield said he has sought the advice of older teammates.

"It's between him and his family," cornerback Deion Sanders said. "They'll be holding hands and hugging and kissing soon."

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