Patriots legend Willie McGinest ‘is being charged with punching a man in a California gym’

Three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest is being charged for a second time this year, according to a report.

The plaintiff, Andrew Cortez, has accused McGinest and three other people of punching him during a dispute over weights, according to TMZ.

The alleged altercation took place at a gym, 24 Hour Fitness, in Long Beach, California on June 21, 2021, where Cortez claims he used bench presses, according to the lawsuit obtained by TMZ.

Someone allegedly took a weight and Cortez told them he hadn’t used it yet.

The report adds that the ex-NFL star overheard the exchange and wondered, “the f*** you mean?” The former New England Patriots pass rusher allegedly then punched Cortez in the face with a “closed fist” before he and three other men began to hit him “30 to 40 times” on the head and back.

McGinest played with the New England Patriots in the NFL from 1994-2005

TMZ reported that Cortez, who claims he was left bloodied, claimed in the lawsuit that he is still emotionally recovering from the trauma.

Cortez would seek unspecified damages in his lawsuit.

The lawsuit comes after the NFL Network “parted” with McGinest earlier this year after the Patriots legend assaulted a man at a Los Angeles nightclub.

Prior to his March firing, McGinest, 51, had been suspended indefinitely by the network for starting a brawl at a West Hollywood nightclub called Delilah on Dec. 9.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office charged the former linebacker with one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of assault with force likely to cause grievous bodily harm.

McGinest was arrested in connection with the Dec. 9 incident and turned himself in on Dec. 19, according to Fox.

TMZ obtained a video purporting to show McGinest and other men approaching a man sitting at a booth. In the footage, McGinest punches the victim before the other assailants’ turn. McGinest is also accused of smashing the victim’s head with a bottle.

McGinest posted $30,000 bail and was released.

The former NFL linebacker was kicked from the NFL network earlier this year

He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2015 after winning three Super Bowls

McGinest later apologized for the incident on social media.

“First of all, I would like to offer my deepest apologies for my error of judgment and behavior on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood,” McGinest posted on Instagram later in December. “To my family, community, friends and youth I mentor, please know that I feel terrible for my actions and take full responsibility.”

McGinest played the first 12 seasons of his 15-year NFL career with the Patriots and was on three Super Bowl-winning teams. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1996 and 2003 and ranks second in Patriots history with 78 sacks.

In 15 seasons with the Patriots (1994–2005) and Browns (2006–08), McGinest played in 212 games (184 starts) and recorded 804 tackles and 86 sacks, as well as a league-record 16 postseason sacks.