Kareem Hunt, the former Kansas City Chiefs running back who was caught on videotape striking a woman and was barely able to collect his things from his locker room before the Cleveland Browns came calling, received his suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, because the league is OK with domestic abusers but protesting black death is a bridge too far.
The NFL handed down Hunt’s suspension from a February 2018 altercation with a woman who Hunt shoved and kicked in the hallway of a Cleveland hotel. And the moment was captured on video. Oh, Hunt was also involved in another incident in June of the same year where he reportedly put hands on some men in Ohio, ESPN reports.
But it was the video that was the talk of the NFL, as the incident was shown all over the news and prompted more conversations about the NFL’s lax policy about employing men who beat women. Did I mention that Hunt lied about the incident? Yep, it was his lying to the Chiefs that forced their hands to let the running back go. But the Cleveland Browns doesn’t care about lying, or women for that matter, as they needed a speedy running back and Hunt fit the bill.
Hunt was not charged in any of the incidents and advised the league that he accepts the decision. He will forfeit $303,529 of his $645,000 base salary with his eight-game suspension. But don’t feel too bad for him as he will have a chance to earn $200,000 in per-game roster bonuses.
“I want to again apologize for my actions last year. I know that my behavior hurt a lot of people, and I again apologize to them,” Hunt said in a statement released by the team, ESPN reports.
“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. I also appreciate all of the support I received from my union through this process. My commitment to earning the trust of the league, my teammates, the organization and this community through my actions will continue, and I understand there is a lot of hard work ahead of me before I’m able to fully return to playing the game I love.”
While Hunt will miss the beginning of the football season, he will be allowed to be around the team and take place in all preseason events.
“I want everybody to know we have done extensive research in regards to this case, this player,” Browns general manager John Dorsey told reporters last month as justification for why the Browns signed Hunt. “He understands and takes full responsibility for the egregious act he committed. He is extremely remorseful for his actions.”
I’m sure that the Browns’ signing of Hunt was about giving a young black man another chance and had nothing to do with the fact that “Hunt led the NFL in rushing as a rookie in 2017 with 1,327 yards and eight touchdowns in helping Kansas City qualify for the playoffs,” ESPN reports.
Meanwhile, an able-bodied 31-year-old quarterback whose only crime is protesting against the deaths of black lives by police officers is still without a team ... proving that in the NFL the worst crime you can commit is standing up for black people by taking a knee.