Josh McNary enters not-guilty plea

— -- INDIANAPOLIS -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has granted the  Colts' request Thursday to place backup linebacker Josh McNary on the league's commissioner exempt list.

McNary, primarily a special-teams player for the Colts, was charged Wednesday with rape, criminal confinement with bodily injury and battery resulting in bodily injury from an incident in the early-morning hours of Dec. 1, 2014. A not-guilty plea was entered on behalf of McNary on Thursday. 

A nurse found dried blood behind the woman's ear and other injuries after a sexual assault examination and that a friend of the accuser played a two-minute voice mail from the woman for police, according to the report.

McNary has spent the past two seasons with the Colts. He played at Army and then served two years on active military before signing with the Colts in 2013. McNary still serves in the National Guard as part of his military obligations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.