A former Ohio State football player was arrested in Columbus after allegedly punching and strangling his girlfriend.

Michael Roen McCullough, 25, is now facing one count of strangulation after Columbus Police said the former football player’s girlfriend was found in the aftermath of the alleged attack with a black eye and bruises to her neck, according to court documents obtained by The Columbus Dispatch.

Police were called to an address in the 100 block of Marconi Blvd. on Friday August 29, 2025 around 9 p.m. in reference to an alleged domestic violence incident that occurred one day earlier. 

The woman told police that she and McCullough were driving to their home on Thursday Aug. 28 at around 9:30 a.m. when they got into an argument that quickly turned violent. 

She accused McCullough of punching her repeatedly in the face and grabbing her around the throat with one hand as he pushed her against the window, according to the court records, also obtained by WSYX. 

Alleged victim said she “could not breathe”

The woman told police that she “could not breathe at all and felt panicked” and lost consciousness as a result at some point during the drive. The alleged victim, who also reported that McCullough broke her cell phone, said that she regained consciousness when they were parked in front of their home.

According to police, the woman suffered a swollen lower lip, black eye, cut and bruising on the front of her throat from the alleged attack.

McCullough was arrested Saturday, Aug. 30 and booked into the Franklin County Corrections Center on the strangulation charge, according to jail records. 

The former football player was invited to walk on to the Ohio State football team after a “standout academic and athletic career” at Worthington Kilbourne High School, according to his Ohio State bio.

McCullough played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 2018 to 2020. McCullough was named an Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2020 and was selected as an OSU Scholar-Athlete that same year. 

He announced his retirement from the sport on X in 2021, Fox News reported. In 2024, McCullough was involved in a serious car accident and lost his right eye.