Former Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton turned himself in to authorities in Florida after being wanted for domestic battery by strangulation. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office released a video showing Sutton arriving at a jail in Tampa. The Lions released Sutton after learning about the warrant for his arrest, which was issued after a call about domestic violence involving Sutton and a female on March 7. Authorities had asked the public for help in locating Sutton, who signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Lions before the start of the 2023 season after spending six years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Lions president Rod Wood stated that the team learned about the warrant for Sutton’s arrest at the same time as the public, through social media. Wood indicated that Sutton was at the team’s training facility when the warrant was issued, and that he was able to speak with Sutton who unexpectedly showed up to work out. Sutton had signed with the Lions as a free agent and played and started all 17 games for Detroit in the 2023 season as well as three playoff games. He recorded a career-high 65 tackles and an interception in 2023, and was projected to be a starting cornerback for the team in the 2024 season alongside newly signed Carlton Davis.
Sutton, a native of Jonesboro, Georgia, was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. He worked his way up to becoming a starting cornerback during his time with the Steelers, recording 168 total tackles and eight interceptions in 84 career games. The domestic violence incident involving Sutton and a female led to a warrant being issued for his arrest on charges of domestic battery by strangulation, a third-degree felony that could result in a prison term of up to five years. The Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister emphasized that domestic violence has no place in the community and that no one is above the law in Hillsborough County.
Sutton had been sought by authorities for several weeks before surrendering himself to law enforcement. The sheriff’s office released a statement expressing relief that Sutton had decided to turn himself in and acknowledging the impact of his actions on the victim. The incident resulted in Sutton being released by the Lions, who acted swiftly upon learning of the warrant for his arrest. The team had signed him to a lucrative contract prior to the 2023 season, during which he had a successful performance on the field. The legal proceedings surrounding the charges against Sutton will likely have implications for his future in professional football and beyond.
