Update, Sept. 10, 2025: The charges against Christopher Massey related to the incident described below have been dropped. Read more here.
PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WOWK) – A former NFL player and current West Virginia high school football coach faces charges over an alleged altercation with an off-duty sheriff’s deputy.
The alleged incident involved former long-snapper Christopher Massey, who played with the St. Louis Rams, and, briefly, with the Chicago Bears. Massey is now coaching at Winfield High School in Putnam County.
According to a criminal complaint from Putnam County Magistrate Court, Christopher Massey, of Winfield, is charged with obstructing an officer, battery, trespassing – asked to leave, and disorderly conduct.
The complaint states that Massey was at his son’s Winfield Middle School football practice, where the deputy is an assistant coach. It further states that Massey allegedly “became disruptive” after the deputy spoke with him about his son’s practice. The deputy then refused to speak any further with Massey while he was “irate” and asked him to leave the premises, the complaint states.
Though off duty, the deputy announced himself as an officer and told Massey he would arrest him if he did not leave, the document continues. The complaint also explains that this was not the first encounter between the two men due to their statuses as assistant coaches.
At that time, the complaint says, the deputy went to his cruiser to get his handcuffs and pepper spray and called for additional officers to respond. According to the complaint, while the deputy did this, Massey was allegedly pacing the parking lot and trying to argue with the deputy.
The complaint states that the deputy warned Massey multiple times to leave the property, and then told him he was under arrest. According to the complaint, Massey then stepped “nose-to-nose” with the deputy and told him he wasn’t leaving.
The deputy stated that he shoved Massey back to create space between them, at which time, Massey allegedly knocked the handcuffs from the deputy’s hands.
At that point, the deputy fired his pepper spray in Massey’s face to get him to comply, the complaint says. Massey then allegedly lunged toward the deputy and tried to tackle him by grabbing his legs. The complaint says Massey then allegedly removed his shirt and took up “an aggressive fighting stance” before attempting to strike the deputy.
Following a short struggle, the deputy was able to put Massey in handcuffs while waiting for other officers to arrive, the complaint says. According to the complaint, sometime during the struggle, the deputy’s front tooth was chipped.
Further details about what happened between Massey and the off duty officer weren’t immediately released. Nexstar’s WOWK reached out to Massey but didn’t immediately receive a reply.
A spokesperson for Putnam County Schools released the following statement regarding the incident.
The Putnam County Board of Education and school administration are aware of an altercation that has been reported in the news media and resulted in criminal charges. The school system is fully cooperating with the appropriate investigative authorities to ensure that the matter is handled thoroughly and appropriately.
Because this situation involves personnel matters, the school system is prohibited from addressing specifics related to the status of any coaches or employees. Personnel processes are governed by applicable state law, Board policy, and established procedures that must be followed.
Putnam County Schools remains committed to maintaining a safe, supportive environment for all students and staff. We will continue to cooperate with authorities and handle this matter internally in accordance with all legal and policy requirements.