National Post (National Edition)
Justice missing in NFL suspension
What’s worse? On two occasions testing positive for a performance- enhancing drug? Or on two occasions physically assaulting people, including shoving and kicking a woman?
In the NFL, the former will get a player suspended for 10 games without pay, per the 2018 joint policy on performance-enhancing substances, agreed to by the league and players union.
The latter will sideline you for less than a season, as we learned on Friday when the NFL finally punished Kareem Hunt.
And for even less than a calendar year. In particular, for eight games without pay this coming season, on top of the final five regular-season and two post-season games Hunt missed last season with the Kansas City Chiefs — for 15 games in all.
Hunt is now a member of the Cleveland Browns. They signed him four weeks ago, after the Chiefs waived him last Nov. 30, on the day video went viral that showed him violently shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel. But only eight games? Browns fans less concerned with the off-field conduct of Browns players and more interested in what they can achieve on the football field are no doubt privately fist-pumping. Eight games? Man, that’s the same as going on IR with a designation to return! And hey, he’ll be back for the most important part of the season! Including playoffs! YES!!
For his par t, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield on Friday said the impressively upgraded Cleveland offence in 2019 has the potential to be so good that “it’s going to be a thing where you pick your poison.”
He said it, not me. What’s more, Hunt not only can play in the coming season, albeit after a two-month in-season delay, but can take part in all of the club’s offseason training and practice programs under new head coach Freddie Kitchens. Indeed, Hunt will be there with the other 89 Browns starting April 1 with training workouts, through May/June onfield practices, through the entirety of summer’s training camp and pre-season schedule, and concluding on the final day of the pre-season, when rosters cut down Aug. 31.
Then, depending on when the Browns’ bye week falls (the 2019 NFL schedule won’t be released until the middle of next month), the 23-yearold will be banished from all contact with the club until the day after Cleveland’s eighth game is in the books, as early as Oct. 28, as late as Nov. 5.
In its news release Friday, the NFL said Hunt violated the league’s personal conduct policy “in connection with physical altercations at his residence in Cleveland last February, and at a resort in Ohio last June.”
Once the TMZ video went viral of Hunt assaulting the woman in the February incident, he was promptly placed on the NFL’s commissioner-exempt list, meaning he could no longer practise, play or attend games for any team. Within an hour the Chiefs waived Hunt, explaining that he “was not truthful” when the club had interviewed him about the incident.
Many in the media predicted Hunt’s career might be toast, myself included.
Uh, no.
At that time the league already had been investigating three separate incidents of possible personal-conduct violations by Hunt. Now, three- and- a- half months later, the league in its statement shed light on its probe:
“The findings followed a detailed investigation by the NFL, which included reviewing available law-enforcement records, video and electronic communications, interviews with numerous witnesses and multiple interviews with Hunt.
“Hunt has advised the league office that he accepts responsibility for his conduct and the discipline that has been imposed.”
With the suspension, Hunt will lose $303,529 of his base 2019 salary of $645,000 salary, ESPN reported.
The native of Willoughby, Ohio, had been one of the NFL’s best young dual-threat running backs, as a rusher and receiver, until that TMZ video went viral. In 11 games last fall he rushed for 824 yards for seven touchdowns and caught 26 passes for 378 yards and seven touchdowns.
In 2017, Hunt was a Pro Bowl selection as a dynamic rookie, rushing for a leaguehigh 1,327 yards for eight touchdowns, and catching 53 passes for 455 yards and three scores.
Shortly after the Chiefs dumped him, he sounded earnestly apologetic in an interview with ESPN, and struck the same chords in a statement released Friday by the Browns:
“I want to again apologize for my actions last year. I know that my behaviour hurt a lot of people, and I again apologize to them. I respect the league’s decision on discipline, and I appreciate the time I spent with commissioner ( Roger) Goodell last week. I’m grateful for my time with the Browns over the last month and thankful to all the people in the organization that have welcomed me.
And so, for the next fiveand- a- half months Hunt will resume his NFL career, timing-wise, as if nothing had happened.
Justice? Sure doesn’t feel like it.