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NFL player from Ohio found not guilty of rape

FILE - This is a 2022 photo of Josh Sills of the Philadelphia Eagles NFL football team. Josh Sills, a reserve offensive lineman for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, has been indicted on rape and kidnapping charges that stem from an incident in Ohio just over three years ago, authorities said Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (AP Photo, File)

CAMBRIDGE, Ohio (WCMH) — Josh Sills, a reserve offensive guard for the Philadelphia Eagles, has been found not guilty of rape.

A jury acquitted Sills on rape and kidnapping charges in Guernsey County court Friday afternoon. The not guilty verdict comes six months after a grand jury indicted Sills on the charges, which stemmed from a 2019 incident.


A woman accused Sills of raping and holding her against her will in December 2019. In the incident report, the victim told authorities she has known Sills for multiple years.

Following the acquittal, Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement that he “still believed the victim” but respected the jury’s decision.

“In America, criminal convictions require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury did not see it, and I thank them for doing their duty under the law,” Yost said.

Sills denied the accusations since he was charged in February, shortly before the Eagles were set to play in the Super Bowl. He was an undrafted agent and had played one game that season, and after he was indicted, he was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.