Tampa Bay defensive end arrested on illegal gun rap

An NFL player was busted at LaGuardia Airport Monday for carrying an illegal gun, officials said.

Da'Quan Bowers, 22, of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was arrested around 11 a.m. when airport security found a loaded pistol in his luggage, Port Authority police said. He was trying to board a plane to North Carolina and didn't appear to have a permit for the weapon, according to the police.

Bowers was awaiting arraignment at Queens Criminal Court last night on a criminal possession of a weapon charge, a spokeswoman for the Queens DA's office said.