Willie McGinest is now facing serious time behind bars for his role in a December restaurant beatdown ... TMZ Sports has learned the ex-NFL star has just been charged with two felonies.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office filed the charges this week ... hitting the New England Patriots legend with one count of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury.
Each charge carries up to four years in prison.
McGinest's arraignment in the case has been set for April.
We broke the story, McGinest was initially arrested in the case back in late December ... after video showed him and several others beating the hell out of a man on Dec. 9 at Delilah in West Hollywood.
The footage appears to show McGinest socking the guy in the face ... before later picking up a bottle and smashing it into the man's head.
McGinest eventually apologized for his role in the brawl -- calling everything a "lapse in judgment and behavior."
"To my family, community, friends and youth I mentor," the 51-year-old said, "please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility."
McGinest -- who was inducted into the Pats Hall of Fame in 2015 -- was suspended from his role as an NFL Network analyst following the arrest. He has yet to return to the gig.