Debra Darby Todd was arrested in Alabama after authorities said the former NFL quarterback suffered cuts and abrasions during an argument.
FLORENCE, Ala. — The wife of former New York Jets quarterback Richard Todd has been charged with felony domestic violence after authorities said she struck him multiple times with a pair of pliers during an argument at their Alabama home.
Debra Darby Todd, 68, is charged with second-degree domestic violence assault in Lauderdale County. Court documents say the alleged confrontation happened shortly after 11 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, at the couple’s home in Florence. Richard Todd, 72, suffered multiple cuts and abrasions to his arms, according to the records. He declined transportation to a hospital and did not require medical treatment.
The complaint alleges Debra Todd intentionally caused physical injury by striking her husband several times with the pliers during the argument. Publicly available reports did not provide details about what led to the dispute or whether either person had made statements to investigators about the events before the alleged assault.
Debra Todd was booked into the Lauderdale County Jail, and her bond was set at $30,000, according to court and jail information cited by local and national news organizations. Some later reports indicated she no longer appeared in the jail’s active custody records, suggesting she may have been released. Authorities had not publicly announced the terms of any release in the reports reviewed Wednesday.
Richard Todd is best known for his football career at the University of Alabama and in the NFL. He played quarterback under coach Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama in the 1970s and helped the Crimson Tide win conference championships and the 1973 national title recognized by the United Press International coaches poll.
The New York Jets selected Todd with the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft. He spent most of his professional career with the Jets and later played for the New Orleans Saints. Todd helped New York reach the playoffs in 1981 and 1982, including an appearance in the AFC Championship Game following the 1982 season.
Todd finished his NFL career with more than 20,000 passing yards and 124 touchdown passes. After leaving professional football, he worked in investment banking and the securities industry. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
The criminal charge against Debra Todd is an allegation and has not been proven in court. No plea or final court disposition was reported in the records and coverage reviewed Wednesday, and a future court date remained pending.