ESPN Forced To Delete Explosive Mike Pennel Jr. Story After Admitting Major Errors
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
ESPN has taken the unusual step of deleting a story involving Michael Pennel Jr., acknowledging that its reporting contained errors after the veteran defensive lineman’s representatives provided new evidence.
The network originally published a report on June 18 concerning Pennel and an investigation into the death of a woman whose remains were discovered on property he previously owned in the Dominican Republic. The article suggested Pennel knew the victim and had spent time with her, citing unnamed sources and police records.
“On June 18, 2026, ESPN published a story about Michael Pennel Jr. and an investigation into the death of a woman in the Dominican Republic who disappeared on September 5, 2021. ESPN has determined the story contained errors and has removed it. Since the publication of the story, Pennel’s representatives have provided ESPN with documentation, including travel and financial records, supporting Pennel’s statements to ESPN that he was not in the Dominican Republic at the time the woman disappeared.”
On Wednesday, however, ESPN removed the story entirely and replaced it with an update explaining that it had determined the report “contained errors.”
According to ESPN, Pennel’s legal team submitted travel records, financial documents, and other evidence supporting his previous claim that he was not in the Dominican Republic when the woman disappeared in September 2021.
The development marked a dramatic reversal in one of the NFL’s most closely watched offseason stories.
Michael Pennel Jr.’s Attorney Pushes Back
Pennel’s attorney, Brian Wainger, released a lengthy statement following ESPN’s decision to remove the article.
According to Wainger, Pennel “had nothing to do with the death or disappearance” of Carli Franchesca Guzmán Roche and “was never a suspect or person of interest” in the investigation. He also stated that Pennel never knew the woman.
The attorney added that passport records, banking documents, photographs, and geolocation data all confirmed Pennel remained in Denver while recovering from an injury during the relevant period before signing with the Atlanta Falcons.
Wainger further claimed that surveillance footage from Pennel’s former property had been preserved and voluntarily provided to Dominican authorities after the woman’s disappearance.
Michael Pennel Jr. Story Takes Unexpected Turn
The reversal quickly sparked discussion throughout the NFL media world because complete retractions from ESPN remain uncommon.
Mike Florio noted that describing the change as an “update” understated what had actually occurred, arguing that the network had effectively issued a full retraction after reviewing the new documentation.
Pennel, a 12-year NFL veteran who most recently spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals, has consistently denied any involvement since the story first surfaced.
Whether the situation results in further legal action remains unclear, but Wednesday’s announcement represented a significant development for Michael Pennel Jr. as he continues working to clear his name following months of intense public scrutiny.
