Cowboys sign WR Turpin, 4 years after assault case at TCU

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys signed receiver and kick returner KaVontae Turpin on Thursday, adding the former TCU player who was kicked off the team in 2018 before pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend.

Turpin was MVP of the United States Football League with the New Jersey Generals this spring after that league completed its first regular season since 1985. The 25-year-old led the league in receiving yards and had the only kick return for a touchdown.

Turpin was one of the best kick returners in the nation while at TCU. He returned a punt for a touchdown in each of his four seasons. Turpin averaged 28 yards on 71 kickoff returns with two touchdowns during his career.

While playing for the Generals, Turpin led the USFL with 540 receiving yards in 10 games, with a league-best 316 of those yards coming after the catch.

The speedy Turpin had eight touchdowns receiving as a freshman at TCU in 2015 and finished his career with 13. He averaged 12.1 yards per catch.

Turpin played seven games for the Horned Frogs in 2018 before he was arrested after witnesses told police they saw Turpin drag his girlfriend across a parking lot as she resisted and screamed for them to call 911.

After initially being suspended, Turpin was kicked off the team a few days later when a previous assault charge against him emerged in New Mexico. He was sentenced to deferred adjudication probation and ordered to attend an abuse intervention program.

The Cowboys released fullback Nick Ralston to make room on the training camp roster for Turpin.

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