Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Rasheed Walker was arrested Friday morning after trying to check a bag with a firearm at a New York airport. The 25-year-old player was taken into custody at LaGuardia Airport around 10:30 AM. Police charged him with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm.
According to Fox News, the situation started when Walker was checking in with Delta Air Lines and presented the firearm for inspection. However, he did not have the “proper credentials” required for the area, according to a Port Authority Police Department spokesperson. Walker’s legal team says the entire situation is a big misunderstanding about firearm licensing and interstate travel laws.
According to the criminal complaint, Walker told a Delta employee that his bag had a 9 mm Glock pistol in a locked box. When police checked, they found the firearm along with 36 rounds of ammunition, all properly secured in the locked case.
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Walker’s transparency shows he believed he was following the rules
Walker’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, pointed out that the player was completely open about having the weapon and thought he was doing everything correctly. “It was in a locked box and he disclosed it to the people at the airport,” Aidala said.
The attorney stressed that Walker made an honest mistake, not a deliberate attempt to smuggle a weapon. “He told a person from Delta he was traveling with a firearm. He mistakenly thought because he had a licensed firearm and it was in a locked box that he was able to travel with it. We are confident the case will be dismissed,” Aidala said. This isn’t the first time an NFL player has faced scrutiny this offseason, as Travis Kelce’s wedding planning reportedly faces delays amid career decisions.
Walker apparently believed his existing license covered him for interstate travel, which often isn’t true when traveling to states with strict gun laws like New York. State-to-state firearm laws are extremely complicated to navigate, and travelers need to know the specific laws of their origin, destination, and any layovers.
For Packers fans, this is a concerning development since Walker plays an important role on the offensive line. The team picked him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Over the past three years, he’s been a reliable presence at left tackle and led the team in offensive snaps for the season.
The arrest comes at a critical time for Walker’s career. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the 2026 offseason. While his attorney is confident the charges will be dropped, any legal issues could make his contract negotiations and professional future more complicated. Other NFL players have also dealt with media attention recently, including DJ Moore’s postgame moment that caught Stephen A. Smith’s eye after the Bears’ season ended.
Published: Jan 24, 2026 11:30 am