Tyler Higbee

Early life

Higbee was born in Clearwater, Florida. He attended East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, Florida, where he was a two-sport athlete, in football and baseball. A four-year varsity letterman he played as a wide receiver for the Eagles. As a senior football team captain, Higbee caught 42 passes for over 540 yards and eight touchdowns and was named team MVP as well as earning first team All-Pinellas County honors.

College career

Considered a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, Higbee attended Western Kentucky University to play college football for the Hilltoppers. As a freshman in 2011, Higbee's first career collegiate reception went for a 63-yard touchdown in a 31–21 victory over North Texas. After redshirting for the 2012 season, he caught 13 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore and added 15 passes for 230 yards and four TDs his junior year. Higbee caught 38 passes for 563 yards and eight touchdowns his senior year, and helped lead the Hilltoppers to the 2015 Conference USA Championship. However, he aggravated a knee injury in the 45–28 conference title game victory over Southern Mississippi and missed Western Kentucky's 45–35 win over South Florida in the Miami Beach Bowl. He was considered one of the best tight end prospects in college football.

Legal issues

On April 20, 2016, Higbee was charged with second-degree assault, alcohol intoxication in a public place and evading police, following an incident on April 10, which he assaulted a man outside of Tidball's night club in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He was identified and arrested after fleeing the scene. According to the report, Higbee stated he encountered Nawaf Alsaleh multiple times. The first encounter happened outside of Dublin's Pub, where Higbee stated Alsaleh kept rubbing his head on his and his girlfriend's face multiple times and ignored persisted warnings to stop. Higbee also stated Alsaleh was calling his friends telling them to come to their location to fight Higbee." He was asked by an officer how he understood what Alsaleh said since he spoke a language he did not understand, and Higbee responded that he "just knew." Once at the jail, Higbee stated to the arresting officer "that Alsaleh never tried to fight him or come after him as if he was going to harm him." Higbee just said that, "Alsaleh got into his and (his girlfriend's) personal space so he hit Alsaleh," according to the report. Multiple witnesses said Alsaleh had his hands down and two white males were seen arguing with him and yelling ethnic slurs before hitting him once. Following the assault, Higbee was quoted as saying "ISIS these nuts,” and “fuck you, go back to your country.” The victim, Nawaf Alsaleh, was found unconscious and unresponsive in the parking lot of the bar and was hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage and concussion.

On July 24, 2017, Higbee pleaded guilty to assault under extreme emotional disturbance in Warren Circuit Court. Judge Steve Wilson accepted a plea agreement where Higbee must complete a pre-trial diversion program, serve 250 hours of community service, and pay restitution to the victim. Alsaleh returned to Saudi Arabia, but was able to meet with Higbee in person, where Higbee apologized and shook his hand.