Chiefs DBs Coach David Merritt Arrested On Domestic Battery Charge

Per Robert A. Cronkleton of The Star, Chiefs DBs coach David Merritt was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery on Wednesday.

Cronkleton mentions the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office filed a complaint against Merritt on Thursday morning, accusing him of “unlawfully, knowingly, or recklessly” causing bodily harm to a daughter, which constitutes a domestic violence offense per court documents.

Per Cronkleton, Merritt was arrested by an Overland Park police officer on Wednesday night and was booked into the Johnson County jail a few hours later, and no bond has been set. Cronkleton also says no details of his arrest were made immediately available, and a Chiefs’ spokesperson said the team has no comment at the time. 

Merritt, 54, started his NFL coaching career with the Jets in 2001 as a defensive assistant where he remained through 2003.

He was hired by the Giants in 2004 and stayed with the organization through 2017, starting as a defensive assistant before eventually being promoted to secondary coach and safeties coach in 2006. 

From there, Merritt served as the Cardinals’ DBs coach in 2018 before he joined the Chiefs in 2019 in the same role, where he’s been ever since.