Former New York Giants OT Luke Petitgout charged with sexual assault

Former New York Giants offensive tackle Luke Petitgout was charged with sexual assault with force and simple assault, Stefanie Dazio and Abbott Koloff of NorthJersey.com report.

Petitgout, who played in the NFL for nine seasons, was being held in the Bergen County Jail on $50,000 bail, according to NorthJersey.com.

From NorthJersey.com:

“Mr. Pettigout denies the allegations,” Jennings said in a telephone interview. “The allegations are baseless. We intend to vigorously defend against the charges in court.”

Pettigout, who has been out of football for about six years, had been arrested in New York last year after his wife accused him of hitting her, according to The New York Post. Those charges were later dropped. The Post reported that Pettigout’s wife filed for divorce this year after the former NFL player was charged in June with assaulting a man that his wife had been talking to at a bar. The assault charge in that case is pending, according to New York court records.

Petitgout’s wife, Jennifer, reportedly filed for divorce earlier in the year, after obtaining a restraining order against him. They two were reportedly married for 13 years.

Petitgout played college football for the University of Notre Dame. As a pro, the tackle played for the Giants for eight years, and spent the last season of his career playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Petitgoutretired in 2007.

- Sarah Barshop