Roughly six months after his indictment on felony charges, Eagles offensive lineman Josh Sills was acquitted Friday of raping and kidnapping a former high school classmate, with an Ohio jury finding the 25-year-old not guilty.
"I have done nothing wrong," Sills said after the verdict, "and I'm glad that was proven today."
Jurors began deliberating around noon Friday and announced their verdict before 3 p.m., according to Law & Crime. Sills had been accused of forcibly restraining and sexually assaulting the alleged victim on Dec. 5, 2019, in his hometown Guernsey County, Ohio. He was placed on the commissioner's exempt list, which removes a player from the active roster, on Feb. 1 this year, a day after his indictment and less than two weeks before the Eagles played the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
"(Josh will now) be able to build his football career and grow as a person and be successful in all of the things that he chooses to do," Sills' co-counsel Steve Dever said, per The Philadelphia Inquirer. "It's unfortunate he was accused of this. It cost him a Super Bowl appearance. ... He will move on and live his life in a very honorable fashion."
Sills originally joined the Eagles as an undrafted free agent signing last spring. Undrafted out of Oklahoma State, he began his college career at West Virginia, transferring after the 2019 season. He appeared in one game as a rookie, taking just four snaps on special teams.
Connick said Friday that Sills is expected to rejoin the Eagles in the coming weeks. If and when he's activated from the commissioner's exempt list, he'll likely compete for a reserve guard role in the preseason.
