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Jonathan Dwyer pleads not guilty to assault charge

Dwyer faces a felony assault charge and eight misdemeanor charges related to a September arrest for allegedly striking his wife.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer, one of the NFL's prominent domestic violence arrestees, pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of aggravated assault and eight misdemeanor charges, according to SI.com.

Dwyer, who was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list after his arrest in September, was arraigned Monday in Maricopa County Superior Court and will return to court on Nov. 20.

The charges stem from two incidents on consecutive days in July, during which police say Dwyer assaulted his wife in their Phoenix apartment. Dwyer allegedly head-butted her during an argument, then allegedly punched her the following day. Reports claim that he also threw a shoe at his 17-month-old son, though he faces no charges for crimes against the child.

Dwyer is among a growing string of NFL players facing domestic abuse charges. Ray Rice's arrest for knocking his fiancee unconscious has been at the center of a league discipline scandal and Adrian Peterson has been deactivated by the Minnesota Vikings in the midst of a child abuse investigation.