NOT GUILTY, NOT WELCOME
Riders balk at Cox returning
Justin Cox won’t be returning to the CFL or the Saskatchewan Roughriders despite being found not guilty of assault causing bodily harm in an alleged incident of domestic violence.
Cox was acquitted in Regina on Monday after provincial court Judge Pat Reis said there wasn’t any evidence to support the charge. Reis made the ruling after hearing from five Crown witnesses.
Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones said Tuesday that the decision to pass on Cox came after discussions with John Murphy, the Riders’ assistant vice-president of football administration and player personnel, and Jeremy O’Day, the team’s assistant vice-president of football administration and operations.
“I have two little girls at home and both of them have two little girls at home,’’ Jones said. “It’s a situation that is a matter of principle for us. We’re going in a different direction. It’s an unfortunate event and we wish him the best and hope that his situation gets better.’’
The Riders released Cox on April 19, the day after he was charged. The CFL announced on the same day that Cox was effectively banned, saying in a statement that it would refuse to register any contract that he signed with any team. The CFL maintained that stance Tuesday.
“The outcome of the recent criminal trial involving the acquittal of Mr. Cox does not change the position of the league,’’ the CFL said in a prepared statement. “Mr. Cox is currently not under contract with a CFL team and if a team were to attempt to sign him, the contract would not be registered by the Commissioner’s office.”
Cox told reporters on Monday that he hoped to resume his football career.
“Hopefully I get it back. I really want to play with the Roughriders,” Cox said. “Hopefully I can get to wear that green and white again, and you know, play football again, period.”
Cox had faced allegations of domestic violence before joining the Riders in 2016. On July 20, 2015, he was arrested for aggravated domestic violence, burglary of a residence and trespassing in Oktibbeha County, Miss. The Kansas City Chiefs released him the next day.
In November 2014, Cox was charged with burglary and aggravated domestic violence in a separate incident while attending Mississippi State. The charges were dropped after Cox pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.
Cox was among the Riders’ top defenders in 2016 when he led the team with four interceptions and was the Green and White’s nominee for most outstanding rookie. He also recorded 42 defensive tackles while starting 15 regularseason games. Cox signed a twoyear contract extension with the Riders in December. Not even those accomplishments were enough for the Riders to reconsider signing Cox.
“He’s a great player and he’s probably the best coverage guy I’ve ever coached,” Jones said. “We’re very aware of the history of him and then with the current event, it made it where principle-wise that I could not put the club or our team in that situation. That’s the decision that we made and we’re sticking with it.’’
Riders receiver Joe Craig missed Monday’s practice while testifying in the Regina court. Craig, who lived in the home with Cox, told the court that he never saw Cox hit the 23-year-old woman. Craig also told the court that the argument started over the security code on an iPhone.
Craig declined to comment Tuesday when asked about the outcome of the case.
“I’m just here to focus on football and get better as a football player and bond with my teammates,” Craig said.
“What’s done is done and it’s in the past.’’
Meanwhile, former Riders quarterback Darian Durant injured his left knee during Tuesday’s practice with the Montreal Alouettes.
According to a report by Didier Ormejuste of RDS, Durant was helped off the field during the Alouettes’ training camp and limped to the locker-room with an ice bag on his injured knee. Alouettes head coach Jacques Chapdelaine told reporters after practice that he is “cautiously optimistic” that the injury is not serious.
Durant, 34, has battled injuries in recent years. He suffered a torn tendon in his right elbow in 2014 and a ruptured left Achilles tendon in 2015.
The outcome of the recent criminal trial involving the acquittal of Mr. Cox does not change the position of the league.