Cowboys Coach Jason Garrett Will Keep C.J. Spillman, Citing No Arrest or Charges in Domestic Abuse Allegations

Police in Grapevine, Texas, revealed on Thursday that Dallas Cowboys safety C.J. Spillman is being investigated for a possible involvement in an alleged sexual assault that was reported to have taken place at the team's hotel. Head coach Jason Garrett came forward hours later to say that for now, as there have been no formal charges brought against Spillman, the special teams player will remain on the active roster.

"I think you have to be careful with just accusations and allegations in this situation," Garrett told ESPN on Thursday. "When someone is officially charged or arrested for something, that's when it becomes a different situation in our minds. For now, he's a member of our football team and will take part in everything we do to this point.

"I think that's the definition of due process," Garrett continued. "There has to be a charge or an arrest made, and then due process begins. We're certainly not at that point in this situation."

Just the day before news broke of the allegations against Spillman, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones commented on how his team would handle such situations during a meeting with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce at its Leaders in Business Luncheon.

"I think our head coach as well as our organization have been very clear with our players on domestic violence and on several other issues, that if you are involved and have this type of issue, you are going to be accountable," Jones said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram via ESPN. "It means that you will not play. Due process is not enough now. As we have seen, certainly no one waiting to go through due process [thinks it] is fast enough."

According to the police report, the alleged incident occurred on Sept. 20 at the Gaylord Hotel, where new players often stay while they look for permanent housing. Spillman is still relatively new to the team, joining the Cowboys from the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 31.

A source has reportedly confirmed to ESPN that Spillman is cooperating fully with the investigation.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, meanwhile, has refused to comment on the situation, noting that the league is "looking into the matter and will continue to do so."