Hunt axed over video of ‘kicking woman’
Kansas City Chiefs dump star running back who hid details about hotel incident
The Kansas City Chiefs decided to cut ties with star NFL running back Kareem Hunt after a video surfaced that appears to show him shoving and kicking a woman, the team announced.
The Chiefs move came just minutes after the National Football League placed Hunt on the Commissioner Exempt list – meaning he cannot practise or play – after a video of the February incident at a Cleveland hotel was released by the website TMZ.
The Chiefs said they decided to release Hunt, who was the league’s rushing leader last season, in part because he hid details from them about the incident.
“Earlier this year, we were made aware of an incident involving running back Kareem Hunt,” a team spokesman said. “At that time, the National Football League and law enforcement initiated investigations into the issue.
“As part of our internal discussions with Kareem, several members of our management team spoke directly to him. Kareem was not truthful in those discussions.” the spokesman said.
“The video now released confirms that fact. We are releasing Kareem immediately.”
No one was arrested and Hunt was never charged by police at the time of the incident, but the league’s disciplinary officials acted swiftly after the video was released.
“The NFL has placed Kareem Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs on the Commissioner Exempt list, and as a result, he may not practise, play or attend games,” the NFL said. “The NFL’s investigation, which began immediately following the incident in February, will include a review of the new information that has been made public.”
Hunt was sent home from the Chiefs’ practice facility soon after the video came out.
The video published by TMZ appears to be security footage from the hallway of a building. On it, a man identified as Hunt can be seen exchanging words with a woman, shoving her with one hand before she returns and takes a swipe at his face.
Several people intervene and the situation appears to have calmed when Hunt collides with the woman and another man, knocking both over and then kicking the woman.