Former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna testified at his son’s court hearing on Thursday.
Jalen Kitna, a backup quarterback for the University of Florida, was arrested in Gainesville on Wednesday and charged with five felony counts — three of them for possession of child pornography and two for distribution of child exploitation material.
The elder Kitna, and his wife, Jennifer, testified that if Jalen was granted bail they would take him back to their home in Texas. They also promised the court that they would ensure that he attends every relevant court date.
Gainesville police said in a press release Wednesday that they received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Discord user shared an “image of child sexual abuse material.” An investigation determined that a second image was shared and that the account belonged to Jalen Kitna.
The Florida quarterback allegedly told police that he recalled sharing the images “but believed them to be ‘legal’ since he found them online,” the release said.
A subsequent search of his devices found three more photos of child sexual abuse material.
Kitna was suspended indefinitely from Florida’s football team.
“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the news involving Jalen Kitna,” the school said in a statement. “These are extremely serious charges and the University of Florida and the UAA have zero tolerance for such behavior. Jalen has been suspended indefinitely from the football program.”
Jon Kitna played four seasons with the Seahawks, five with the Bengals, three with the Lions and two with the Cowboys in an NFL career that spanned from 1997-11.
