Philadelphia Eagles running back Dion Lewis was arrested early Sunday morning in Albany, N.Y. after allegedly pulling a fire alarm at a Hampton Inn.
"I want to apologize to my family, the Albany community, the Eagles organization and fans, and to the NFL for my involvement in an incident this past weekend," Lewis, 21, said in a statement Monday.
"It was never my intention to cause any public alarm or damage any property. I am sorry for any embarrassment and inconvenience that my actions have caused. I am committed to continuing to conduct myself in conformance with the high moral, ethical and professional standards that I have my entire life and of which so many others rightly expect of me."
Lewis, the Eagles' fifth-round pick in 2011, and older brother Lamar Lewis were charged by Albany police with falsely reporting an incident (a felony) and misdemeanor reckless endangerment of property. The Lewis' allegedly banged on locked glass doors at the Hampton Inn and then pulled the alarm.
Dion Lewis was reportedly intoxicated, but cooperated with police.
"We are aware of the incident involving Dion Lewis over the weekend in Albany and have since spoken to Dion and his representatives about it," the Eagles said in a statement Monday. "They have a good understanding of the serious nature of this matter and understand the embarrassment it caused to not only himself, but the entire organization."
Lewis, a former standout for the University of Pittsburgh, played in 15 games as a rookie with the Eagles last season. Most of his action came as a kickoff returner, where he averaged 21.6 yards on 31 returns. He didn't get much playing time on offense, rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. He also caught one pass for minus-3 yards.
The 5-foot-8, 195-pounder is expected to compete with a pair of rookies - seventh-round draft pick Bryce Brown and free agent Chris Polk - to be LeSean McCoy's backup this season. Last season's backup, Ronnie Brown, signed as a free agent with San Diego this offseason.
The Eagles open training camp at Lehigh University when rookies, quarterbacks and selected veterans report on July 22. Lewis and the rest of the team are scheduled to report on July 25. The first full-team practices will be held on July 27.
