A two-time NFL Pro Bowler was removed from a Cincinnati-area church on the weekend after a heated confrontation over accusations against a priest involving pornography.
Jack McQuaide, a 14-year NFL veteran, was escorted from Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township by police on Saturday.
The long snapper reportedly was involved in a contentious scene as parishioners sought answers about accusations against priest Martin Bachman, who allegedly viewed pornography on a church computer.
McQuaide had been demanding answers from Archdiocese of Cincinnati Chancellor Jason Williams, who was addressing the allegations.
Local ABC affiliate WCPO reported that Todd Zureick, a fellow member of the church, said they saw images from a laptop containing “thumbnails to pornography sites and links to multiple virtual reality role-playing sites involving pornography, sexual assault, group sex, rape and occult themes.”
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Zureick had filed a complaint with the archdiocese earlier this year regarding the accusations.
On Saturday, Williams read a letter from Archbishop Robert Casey that dismissed the allegations against Bachman.
“These have been investigated, and no wrongdoing — either criminally or ecclesiastically — has been substantiated … consequently, like gossip, the spreading of rumours is sinful, and we should all work to overcome this tendency of our fallen human nature,” the letter said.
McQuaide – who said that he had seen the images — then stepped in, demanding answers.
“Please take a second. We want to put these rumours to rest. Can you answer this for me … fact or fiction,” McQuaide said, according to WCPO.
After someone at the altar tried to tell McQuaide that it wasn’t the proper time for this interaction, the NFLer reportedly replied: “I’m sorry, sir, this is the time and the place. I will stand up … Did the priest use our parish computer to look at pornography? … True or false … I am not trespassing.
“You can look at pornography at your house, but you cannot do it here.”
McQuaide was then escorted out of the building by Green Township police officers, who had been asked to be at the church in case of disruptions.
He reportedly was not detained by police nor charged with a crime after the incident.
The long snapper currently is a free agent after spending time last season with the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins. He played the first 10 seasons of his career with the Rams organization, making the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 2017.
Casey said Bachman has a planned sabbatical starting in July that is not related to the recent allegations.