I'm kinda surprised, as far as, character goes, seems taht we have been acquiring guys with high character and now we sign Hunt? I know he's super talented but I don't know if he can be trusted not to screw up again. It would be a great 1-2 punch but I kinda thought htese two guys are the type that need lots of carries to get on track during a game. As much as I love NC, I do think Hunt might be a shade quicker and shiftier, not by leaps and bounds but a fraction or so. Interesting, just have to wait and see how it plays out, hope this doesn't make Chubb mad. Also, I get the connection between Dorsey and Hunt, and from a talent standpoint, I understand why Dorsey would be interested in bringing in Hunt.
Rab - this is the ultimate low risk. high reward signing. Hunt will not count against the roster until he is removed from the Commissioner's Exempt list. Up until that time, if there is even one whiff of impropriety or bad behavior - we part ways in a clean break.
Bottom line - Kareem is not stupid. He realizes the Browns are throwing him a lifeline, and this IS his final shot at a productive NFL career. No one else will touch him or the PR shitstorm that would happen after another misstep. That must be made abundantly clear - one more infraction and you're toast.
Hunt is 5-11, 216 pounds and entering his third NFL season out of Toledo. Originally drafted by Kansas City in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft, Hunt has appeared in 27 career games. He has rushed for 2,151 yards on 453 attempts (4.7 average) with 15 touchdowns, while adding 79 receptions for 833 yards with 10 touchdowns.
As a rookie in 2017, Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards en route to a Pro Bowl selection. He became just the sixth rookie since 1966 (Super Bowl era) to lead the league in rushing yards. Hunt also became the first player in NFL history to record six consecutive games with 100-plus scrimmage yards to start their rookie campaign. He appeared in 11 games in 2018 and registered 824 rushing yards, 378 receiving yards and 14 total touchdowns. He was released by the Chiefs on Nov. 30. Hunt finished his collegiate career as Toledo’s all-time leading rusher with 4,945 yards, while scoring 44 rushing touchdowns. He attended Willoughby South High School in Willoughby, Ohio.
John Dorsey on signing free agent running back Kareem Hunt:
“My relationship and interaction with Kareem since 2016 in college was an important part of this decision making process but we then did extensive due diligence with many individuals, including clinical professionals, to have a better understanding of the person he is today and whether it was prudent to sign him. There were two important factors: one is that Kareem took full responsibility for his egregious actions and showed true remorse and secondly, just as importantly, he is undergoing and is committed to necessary professional treatment and a plan that has been clearly laid out.”
“We fully understand and respect the complexity of questions and issues in signing a player with Kareem’s history and do not condone his actions. Given what we know about Kareem through our extensive research, we believe he deserves a second chance but certainly with the understanding that he has to go through critical and essential steps to become a performing member of this organization, aside from what the NFL determines from their ongoing investigation. We fully understand that Kareem is subject to discipline by the NFL. Here at the Browns, there is a detailed plan with expectations laid out that he understands and must follow, because any similar incident will not be tolerated. We will support Kareem through this process and utilize our resources, however permitted, to help him become successful on and off the field as long as he continues to show the commitment necessary to represent this organization.”
Kareem Hunt on signing a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns:
“First off, I would like to once again apologize for my actions last year. What I did was wrong and inexcusable. That is not the man I was raised to be, and I’ve learned a great deal from that experience and certainly should have been more truthful about it after the fact. I’m extremely grateful that John Dorsey, Dee and Jimmy Haslam and the Cleveland Browns organization are granting me the opportunity to earn their trust and represent their organization in the best way possible on and off the field. I am committed to following the necessary steps to learn and to be a better and healthier person from this situation. I also understand the expectations that the Browns have clearly laid out and that I have to earn my way back to the NFL. I’m a work in progress as a person, but I’m committed to taking advantage of the support systems that I have in place to become the best and healthier version of myself.”
In John we trust. Twitter backlash is going crazy-mad about the signing right now. I can't wait for the Baltimore Ravens to get their $0.02 in anytime now.
The Cleveland Browns have signed running back Kareem Hunt just months after he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs for his involvement in a video that showed him shoving and kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel in February 2018.
Hunt is currently on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the goal was for Hunt to sign before the investigation into his misconduct concludes. NFL Commissioner said the findings would come soon.
The video shows Hunt arguing with a 19-year-old female Kent State student in the hotel's hallway. During the altercation, Hunt is seen shoving her after she who hits him in the face. After friends try to hold back Hunt, he pushes one of them into the woman, which causes both individuals to fall. Later in the video, the woman is crouched on the ground after trying to get up and Hunt is seen kicking her. Police were called to the hotel but no one was arrested and no charges were filed. The kick from Hunt, which is shown in the video, was reportedly not included in police reports by either party.
Hunt was allegedly involved in two other fighting incidents. One incident allegedly took place at an Ohio resort in June 2017, where he got into a physical altercation with a guest. The other altercation allegedly took place at a Kansas City night club following a Chiefs playoff loss in 2018.
“First off, I would like to once again apologize for my actions last year. What I did was wrong and inexcusable," Hunt said in a statement. "That is not the man I was raised to be, and I’ve learned a great deal from that experience and certainly should have been more truthful about it after the fact. I’m extremely grateful that John Dorsey, Dee and Jimmy Haslam and the Cleveland Browns organization are granting me the opportunity to earn their trust and represent their organization in the best way possible on and off the field. I am committed to following the necessary steps to learn and to be a better and healthier person from this situation. I also understand the expectations that the Browns have clearly laid out and that I have to earn my way back to the NFL. I’m a work in progress as a person, but I’m committed to taking advantage of the support systems that I have in place to become the best and healthier version of myself.”
Per Rapoport, Hunt agreed to a one-year deal worth more than $1 million without factoring in the suspension. Hunt will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019 season.
General manager John Dorsey said that Hunt has taken full responsibility for his egregious actions and showed true remorse. He added that Hunt is also undergoing professional treatment.
“We fully understand and respect the complexity of questions and issues in signing a player with Kareem’s history and do not condone his actions," Dorsey said in a statement. "Given what we know about Kareem through our extensive research, we believe he deserves a second chance but certainly with the understanding that he has to go through critical and essential steps to become a performing member of this organization, aside from what the NFL determines from their ongoing investigation. We fully understand that Kareem is subject to discipline by the NFL. Here at the Browns, there is a detailed plan with expectations laid out that he understands and must follow, because any similar incident will not be tolerated. We will support Kareem through this process and utilize our resources, however permitted, to help him become successful on and off the field as long as he continues to show the commitment necessary to represent this organization.”
Rapoport reports that Hunt has undergone alcohol and anger management counseling and will continue to do so as a member of the Browns. Hunt has met with NFL investigators regarding his incidents and a suspension is coming.
Last season, Hunt tallied 824 yards and seven touchdowns through 11 games this season for the 9–2 Chiefs. As a rookie, Hunt led the NFL in rushing with the Chiefs during the 2017 season, when he recorded 1,327 yards.
Rapoport reports that Hunt has undergone alcohol and anger management counseling and will continue to do so as a member of the Browns. Hunt has met with NFL investigators regarding his incidents and a suspension is coming.
That right there is hitting the nail on the head. All his issues have stemmed from being out late at night while drinking. Treat the cause, the problem takes care of itself.
Here's a full description of the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List directly from the NFL Player Personnel Policy Manual:
The Exempt List is a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances. The List includes those players who have been declared by the Commissioner to be temporarily exempt from counting within the Active List limit. Only the Commissioner has the authority to place a player on the Exempt List; clubs have no such authority, and no exemption, regardless of circumstances, is automatic. The Commissioner also has the authority to determine in advance whether a player's time on the Exempt List will be finite or will continue until the Commissioner deems the exemption should be lifted and the player returned to the Active List.
I wonder if the Commissioner will take into account that Kareem has already sat out 5 games in his judgment of what further suspension Kareem will have to face?
Opinion: Banishing Kareem Hunt from the NFL forever doesn't do him, or anyone else, any good
Nancy Armour, USA TODAY
Published 6:06 p.m. ET Feb. 11, 2019 | Updated 6:16 p.m. ET Feb. 11, 2019
Someone was always going to sign Kareem Hunt.
A year removed from leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie, Hunt is too big a talent, has too much on-the-field upside, for some NFL team not to take a chance on the troubled running back. So now what? Howl in outrage at the NFL’s continued disregard for women or express disgust that its only principle remains self-interest? Boycott the Cleveland Browns for the awful message they’re sending?
Or do we put them all on notice and demand they follow through on the lofty intentions the Browns expressed in announcing their signing of Hunt on Monday. Make sure Hunt uses this as an opportunity not only to turn his life around but also serve as a cautionary tale for other young men.
There really isn’t much choice.
It would be nice if we lived in a world where there was zero tolerance for physical and sexual abuse, where the health and safety of women mattered as much as the power and privilege of men. But we don’t.
Almost five years after Ray Rice, NFL owners remain a not-so-shining example of that mindset. As long as Greg Hardy can take down a quarterback, Ezekiel Elliott can run through daylight and Josh Brown can kick a 50-yard field goal, the bruises and shattered psyches they inflict on women are considered acceptable trade-offs
.
Commissioner Roger Goodell can issue lengthy suspensions – as he likely still will for Hunt – and tout all the money the league has donated to The National Domestic Violence Hotline, and it will do little good unless owners get on board.
Or are forced to fake it, with the hope they’ll eventually be enlightened.
So fine, the Browns can sign Hunt. But, as a condition, they must publicize the “detailed plan with expectations” that general manager John Dorsey is now on record as saying the team has for Hunt, and provide monthly updates of his progress. Is he meeting with a psychologist? Going to anger management classes? Taking steps to avoid or remove anything and everyone in his life that triggers his temper?
The Browns also must explain exactly what the “extensive due diligence” was that they did before signing Hunt and, if that didn’t include speaking with the victims, why not.
As for Hunt, he’ll need to give a full accounting of what happened the night of that awful video, as well as the January 2018 incident at a Kansas City bar in which a man said Hunt was part of a group that beat him up and the June 2018 fight at an Ohio resort that the NFL investigated. No details can be spared, no excuses made.
Hunt will also, when the people in charge of his treatment deem it appropriate, need to speak with incoming rookies and high school boys about his experience, much like Rice does now. Explain where the rage inside him stemmed from. Acknowledge what it cost him, from the money he lost after being cut to the embarrassment he caused his friends, family and everyone else who’d put their trust in him. Describe the tools he’s using to ensure he never harms anyone again.
If Hunt or the Browns fall short anywhere, then the NFL steps in. None of these $10,000 fines that amount to pocket change, either. A third- or fourth-round draft pick to start, along with every penny the team would normally make from a home game -- concession sales, parking, in-stadium advertising, you name it. Anything that doesn’t go toward the league’s revenue sharing pot, the Browns have to give up, with the money being used for educational programs designed to break the cycle of domestic violence.
Any more episodes by Hunt, or indications he’s not sincere about his rehabilitation efforts, and he’s banned for two seasons. That’s a healthy enough chunk of time to act as a deterrent, yet still provides incentive to get help so he can be a decent person who treats others with dignity and respect.
Because that’s what this is all about. Hunt is going to be out of the league a lot longer than he’ll be in it, and it’s in everyone’s best interests that the cycle of violence stops with him. Otherwise, we’re doing little more than kicking the can down the road.
The can might be out of sight, but somebody is going to have to deal with it eventually.
Some team was always going to sign Kareem Hunt. Now that the Browns have, it's up to them and the NFL to ensure better comes out of it than a few touchdowns and 100-yard games.
Outside of reaching out by the Browns and Kareem at the proper time (mutual on both sides) to the woman victim; why would Dorsey need to contact her about what happen on the night of the incident? Wouldn't he have access to the Police Report and the woman's statement?
This is why I am going to wait to see how this all plays out before forming an opinion as to whether or not this was a good signing. I would guess in cases of this nature that the legal system is very guarded in who has access to what information. I am sure TMZ would be moving heaven and earth to prevent the release of info or images into another's hands that makes this woman appear anything less than a total victim. The video is out there, and it puts Kareem in a very bad light. But does it tell the whole story? Was this woman as innocent as she claims to be?
Could it be that Kareem told her repeatedly that he was not interested in her, and she chose to just keep coming at him because of his status and money until he just snapped? We cannot be so naive to completely dismiss this as a possibility. Were her actions that night were 100% financially motivated?
Let me conclude with - what Kareem did on the video is despicable. But there are many layers to this story. We will know by the conclusion of the investigation and court case if Kareem is truly remorseful. If he is not, no way does he deserve a second bite at the NFL apple until he is. But if he is, I can see granting him another chance - just like someone granted me on many occasions.
@Brooksie With all due respect Brooksie, there was a door with (I'm sure) a very good lock on it. All Hunt had to do when she was outside the room was to walk back inside use the door and the lock.
@DUN Yup - you are 1000% correct. His behavior was foolish at the very least. Time to move past that. He needs to learn how to avoid those situations - whether that is as an NFL player or a private citizen.
As I said above. Someone was going to take a chance on him. How about Pittsburgh? Or Baltimor? Would we rather see them take the chance on him and have him run all over us?
Russ and I were talking about this on Twitter.
Let him sign with one of those teams and the Cleveland Media is all over the Browns because they never take chances on players.. (except they have..Callaway and Josh Gordon to name a couple)
Especially when it came out yesterday that Hunt's contract is for the league MINIMUM and it contains ZERO guaranteed dollars. And you add an elite RB for that?
The more time that goes by, the more I am comfortable with this signing. Yes, he effed up. But it sounds like from his background, the instruction of how to be a man may have been lacking. As long as he is meeting whatever standards have been laid down by the Browns and the league office, he should not be denied the opportunity to make a living. If he doesn't - he and the Browns part ways at relatively no cost to the Browns.
I think (occasionally - LOL), IIRC, what we learned with the Josh Gordon saga is that any contract that Kareem is under pauses while he is under suspension. So, if he loses all of 2019 to suspension - the contract he just signed fast forwards to 2020, and 2021 becomes his RFA year.
Details reported on Kareem Hunt's deal with Browns
This article first appeared on Pro Football Rumors and was syndicated with permission. 2 minutes
Kareem Hunt‘s one-year deal with the Browns includes a base salary of $645K, a $25K per-game roster bonus for each game that he is active, and a $55K offseason workout bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.comtweets. It’s not exactly a top-of-the-market deal for a running back, but it’s actually a better deal that the one Hunt had with the Chiefs prior to his release.
Hunt will be able to earn $420K more from the Browns on a new contract than he would under his his old contract, had he been claimed, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap notes (on Twitter). There’s also upside for next year – Hunt will have the ability to earn more as a restricted free agent in 2020 than he would have as a fourth-year rookie.
“I talked to a lot of people (but) I didn’t get a chance to talk to that victim,” Dorsey said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “That’s probably part of her privacy stuff.”
Hunt won the 2017 rushing title with 1,327 yards on the ground. Prior to his Kansas City departure last year, he compiled 1,202 yards from scrimmage and scored 14 total touchdowns in 11 games.
My only issue with this whole thing is that the talking heads keep referring to this incident as domestic violence. It's not and they should stop labeling it as such. They should also stop reporting in such a way that makes the other two incidents involving Kareem look like he has done this to other females. The articles (at least the ones I've read) casually lead you to believe that this is a pattern of behavior against women. You have to read deeper into the articles to find out that the other two incidents involve men. The only thing I see as common between the three is that they appear to be bar fights. Or at the very least all alcohol related. We need to stop convicting people (even celebrities) in the court of public opinion.
NFL has announced that Kareem Hunt will be suspended 8 games.
Eligible to play in the Browns' ninth game of 2019.
There will be some, of both genders, that feel the 8 game suspension is far too light. Now, let me say violence of this kind - against both males and females - disgusts me, and is the root of a lot of problems in this world. The key is keeping your head in a situation like that, or taking the steps to avoid the situation all together.
That being said, I must question all those that feel this suspension is too light. Keep in my that Kareem missed 5 games already in Kansas City after being released by the Chiefs plus the forfeiture of the rest of his contract. He has already lost an exorbitant amount of money and will continue to lose more in this 8 game stretch. So, the man has paid what I consider dearly already.
We will never know all the details of these investigations, but I wonder if the young woman involved is as innocent as she claims to be. I would guess not. That certainly does NOT condone what happened to her - a better solution could have been worked out.
But at what point are you being punitive just for the sake of being punitive? None of us walking this earth are perfect, we all screw up in varying degrees. My take is let Kareem serve his suspension, then let him play. BUT - he must step onto the field that his past behavior is fundamentally wrong, and will not be tolerated in the least. If he learns that lesson, we can all put this to bed. If not - I hope Mr. Hunt has an extended stay as a gust of The State of Ohio at The Graybar Hotel.
Interesting for sure. That makes a great 1-2 punch with Chubb and Hunt
I'm kinda surprised, as far as, character goes, seems taht we have been acquiring guys with high character and now we sign Hunt? I know he's super talented but I don't know if he can be trusted not to screw up again. It would be a great 1-2 punch but I kinda thought htese two guys are the type that need lots of carries to get on track during a game. As much as I love NC, I do think Hunt might be a shade quicker and shiftier, not by leaps and bounds but a fraction or so. Interesting, just have to wait and see how it plays out, hope this doesn't make Chubb mad. Also, I get the connection between Dorsey and Hunt, and from a talent standpoint, I understand why Dorsey would be interested in bringing in Hunt.
Rab - this is the ultimate low risk. high reward signing. Hunt will not count against the roster until he is removed from the Commissioner's Exempt list. Up until that time, if there is even one whiff of impropriety or bad behavior - we part ways in a clean break.
Bottom line - Kareem is not stupid. He realizes the Browns are throwing him a lifeline, and this IS his final shot at a productive NFL career. No one else will touch him or the PR shitstorm that would happen after another misstep. That must be made abundantly clear - one more infraction and you're toast.
And that would be on Kareem - NOT the Browns.
The Cleveland Browns have signed RB Kareem Hunt.
Hunt is 5-11, 216 pounds and entering his third NFL season out of Toledo. Originally drafted by Kansas City in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft, Hunt has appeared in 27 career games. He has rushed for 2,151 yards on 453 attempts (4.7 average) with 15 touchdowns, while adding 79 receptions for 833 yards with 10 touchdowns.
As a rookie in 2017, Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards en route to a Pro Bowl selection. He became just the sixth rookie since 1966 (Super Bowl era) to lead the league in rushing yards. Hunt also became the first player in NFL history to record six consecutive games with 100-plus scrimmage yards to start their rookie campaign. He appeared in 11 games in 2018 and registered 824 rushing yards, 378 receiving yards and 14 total touchdowns. He was released by the Chiefs on Nov. 30. Hunt finished his collegiate career as Toledo’s all-time leading rusher with 4,945 yards, while scoring 44 rushing touchdowns. He attended Willoughby South High School in Willoughby, Ohio.
John Dorsey on signing free agent running back Kareem Hunt:
“My relationship and interaction with Kareem since 2016 in college was an important part of this decision making process but we then did extensive due diligence with many individuals, including clinical professionals, to have a better understanding of the person he is today and whether it was prudent to sign him. There were two important factors: one is that Kareem took full responsibility for his egregious actions and showed true remorse and secondly, just as importantly, he is undergoing and is committed to necessary professional treatment and a plan that has been clearly laid out.”
“We fully understand and respect the complexity of questions and issues in signing a player with Kareem’s history and do not condone his actions. Given what we know about Kareem through our extensive research, we believe he deserves a second chance but certainly with the understanding that he has to go through critical and essential steps to become a performing member of this organization, aside from what the NFL determines from their ongoing investigation. We fully understand that Kareem is subject to discipline by the NFL. Here at the Browns, there is a detailed plan with expectations laid out that he understands and must follow, because any similar incident will not be tolerated. We will support Kareem through this process and utilize our resources, however permitted, to help him become successful on and off the field as long as he continues to show the commitment necessary to represent this organization.”
Kareem Hunt on signing a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns:
“First off, I would like to once again apologize for my actions last year. What I did was wrong and inexcusable. That is not the man I was raised to be, and I’ve learned a great deal from that experience and certainly should have been more truthful about it after the fact. I’m extremely grateful that John Dorsey, Dee and Jimmy Haslam and the Cleveland Browns organization are granting me the opportunity to earn their trust and represent their organization in the best way possible on and off the field. I am committed to following the necessary steps to learn and to be a better and healthier person from this situation. I also understand the expectations that the Browns have clearly laid out and that I have to earn my way back to the NFL. I’m a work in progress as a person, but I’m committed to taking advantage of the support systems that I have in place to become the best and healthier version of myself.”
https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-sign-rb-kareem-hunt
In John we trust. Twitter backlash is going crazy-mad about the signing right now. I can't wait for the Baltimore Ravens to get their $0.02 in anytime now.
Kareem Hunt Signs One-Year Deal With Browns, GM John Dorsey Explains Decision
By Kaelen Jones February 11, 2019
The Cleveland Browns have signed running back Kareem Hunt just months after he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs for his involvement in a video that showed him shoving and kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel in February 2018.
Hunt is currently on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the goal was for Hunt to sign before the investigation into his misconduct concludes. NFL Commissioner said the findings would come soon.
The video shows Hunt arguing with a 19-year-old female Kent State student in the hotel's hallway. During the altercation, Hunt is seen shoving her after she who hits him in the face. After friends try to hold back Hunt, he pushes one of them into the woman, which causes both individuals to fall. Later in the video, the woman is crouched on the ground after trying to get up and Hunt is seen kicking her. Police were called to the hotel but no one was arrested and no charges were filed. The kick from Hunt, which is shown in the video, was reportedly not included in police reports by either party.
Hunt was allegedly involved in two other fighting incidents. One incident allegedly took place at an Ohio resort in June 2017, where he got into a physical altercation with a guest. The other altercation allegedly took place at a Kansas City night club following a Chiefs playoff loss in 2018.
“First off, I would like to once again apologize for my actions last year. What I did was wrong and inexcusable," Hunt said in a statement. "That is not the man I was raised to be, and I’ve learned a great deal from that experience and certainly should have been more truthful about it after the fact. I’m extremely grateful that John Dorsey, Dee and Jimmy Haslam and the Cleveland Browns organization are granting me the opportunity to earn their trust and represent their organization in the best way possible on and off the field. I am committed to following the necessary steps to learn and to be a better and healthier person from this situation. I also understand the expectations that the Browns have clearly laid out and that I have to earn my way back to the NFL. I’m a work in progress as a person, but I’m committed to taking advantage of the support systems that I have in place to become the best and healthier version of myself.”
Per Rapoport, Hunt agreed to a one-year deal worth more than $1 million without factoring in the suspension. Hunt will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019 season.
General manager John Dorsey said that Hunt has taken full responsibility for his egregious actions and showed true remorse. He added that Hunt is also undergoing professional treatment.
“We fully understand and respect the complexity of questions and issues in signing a player with Kareem’s history and do not condone his actions," Dorsey said in a statement. "Given what we know about Kareem through our extensive research, we believe he deserves a second chance but certainly with the understanding that he has to go through critical and essential steps to become a performing member of this organization, aside from what the NFL determines from their ongoing investigation. We fully understand that Kareem is subject to discipline by the NFL. Here at the Browns, there is a detailed plan with expectations laid out that he understands and must follow, because any similar incident will not be tolerated. We will support Kareem through this process and utilize our resources, however permitted, to help him become successful on and off the field as long as he continues to show the commitment necessary to represent this organization.”
Rapoport reports that Hunt has undergone alcohol and anger management counseling and will continue to do so as a member of the Browns. Hunt has met with NFL investigators regarding his incidents and a suspension is coming.
Last season, Hunt tallied 824 yards and seven touchdowns through 11 games this season for the 9–2 Chiefs. As a rookie, Hunt led the NFL in rushing with the Chiefs during the 2017 season, when he recorded 1,327 yards.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/02/11/kareem-hunt-cleveland-browns-contract-john-dorsey-statement-hotel-incident
That right there is hitting the nail on the head. All his issues have stemmed from being out late at night while drinking. Treat the cause, the problem takes care of itself.
What is the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List?
Here's a full description of the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List directly from the NFL Player Personnel Policy Manual:
The Exempt List is a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances. The List includes those players who have been declared by the Commissioner to be temporarily exempt from counting within the Active List limit. Only the Commissioner has the authority to place a player on the Exempt List; clubs have no such authority, and no exemption, regardless of circumstances, is automatic. The Commissioner also has the authority to determine in advance whether a player's time on the Exempt List will be finite or will continue until the Commissioner deems the exemption should be lifted and the player returned to the Active List.
I wonder if the Commissioner will take into account that Kareem has already sat out 5 games in his judgment of what further suspension Kareem will have to face?
usatoday.com
Opinion: Banishing Kareem Hunt from the NFL forever doesn't do him, or anyone else, any good
Nancy Armour, USA TODAY
Published 6:06 p.m. ET Feb. 11, 2019 | Updated 6:16 p.m. ET Feb. 11, 2019
Someone was always going to sign Kareem Hunt.
A year removed from leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie, Hunt is too big a talent, has too much on-the-field upside, for some NFL team not to take a chance on the troubled running back. So now what? Howl in outrage at the NFL’s continued disregard for women or express disgust that its only principle remains self-interest? Boycott the Cleveland Browns for the awful message they’re sending?
Or do we put them all on notice and demand they follow through on the lofty intentions the Browns expressed in announcing their signing of Hunt on Monday. Make sure Hunt uses this as an opportunity not only to turn his life around but also serve as a cautionary tale for other young men.
There really isn’t much choice.
It would be nice if we lived in a world where there was zero tolerance for physical and sexual abuse, where the health and safety of women mattered as much as the power and privilege of men. But we don’t.
Almost five years after Ray Rice, NFL owners remain a not-so-shining example of that mindset. As long as Greg Hardy can take down a quarterback, Ezekiel Elliott can run through daylight and Josh Brown can kick a 50-yard field goal, the bruises and shattered psyches they inflict on women are considered acceptable trade-offs
.
Commissioner Roger Goodell can issue lengthy suspensions – as he likely still will for Hunt – and tout all the money the league has donated to The National Domestic Violence Hotline, and it will do little good unless owners get on board.
Or are forced to fake it, with the hope they’ll eventually be enlightened.
So fine, the Browns can sign Hunt. But, as a condition, they must publicize the “detailed plan with expectations” that general manager John Dorsey is now on record as saying the team has for Hunt, and provide monthly updates of his progress. Is he meeting with a psychologist? Going to anger management classes? Taking steps to avoid or remove anything and everyone in his life that triggers his temper?
The Browns also must explain exactly what the “extensive due diligence” was that they did before signing Hunt and, if that didn’t include speaking with the victims, why not.
As for Hunt, he’ll need to give a full accounting of what happened the night of that awful video, as well as the January 2018 incident at a Kansas City bar in which a man said Hunt was part of a group that beat him up and the June 2018 fight at an Ohio resort that the NFL investigated. No details can be spared, no excuses made.
Hunt will also, when the people in charge of his treatment deem it appropriate, need to speak with incoming rookies and high school boys about his experience, much like Rice does now. Explain where the rage inside him stemmed from. Acknowledge what it cost him, from the money he lost after being cut to the embarrassment he caused his friends, family and everyone else who’d put their trust in him. Describe the tools he’s using to ensure he never harms anyone again.
If Hunt or the Browns fall short anywhere, then the NFL steps in. None of these $10,000 fines that amount to pocket change, either. A third- or fourth-round draft pick to start, along with every penny the team would normally make from a home game -- concession sales, parking, in-stadium advertising, you name it. Anything that doesn’t go toward the league’s revenue sharing pot, the Browns have to give up, with the money being used for educational programs designed to break the cycle of domestic violence.
Any more episodes by Hunt, or indications he’s not sincere about his rehabilitation efforts, and he’s banned for two seasons. That’s a healthy enough chunk of time to act as a deterrent, yet still provides incentive to get help so he can be a decent person who treats others with dignity and respect.
Because that’s what this is all about. Hunt is going to be out of the league a lot longer than he’ll be in it, and it’s in everyone’s best interests that the cycle of violence stops with him. Otherwise, we’re doing little more than kicking the can down the road.
The can might be out of sight, but somebody is going to have to deal with it eventually.
Some team was always going to sign Kareem Hunt. Now that the Browns have, it's up to them and the NFL to ensure better comes out of it than a few touchdowns and 100-yard games.
Outside of reaching out by the Browns and Kareem at the proper time (mutual on both sides) to the woman victim; why would Dorsey need to contact her about what happen on the night of the incident? Wouldn't he have access to the Police Report and the woman's statement?
This is why I am going to wait to see how this all plays out before forming an opinion as to whether or not this was a good signing. I would guess in cases of this nature that the legal system is very guarded in who has access to what information. I am sure TMZ would be moving heaven and earth to prevent the release of info or images into another's hands that makes this woman appear anything less than a total victim. The video is out there, and it puts Kareem in a very bad light. But does it tell the whole story? Was this woman as innocent as she claims to be?
Could it be that Kareem told her repeatedly that he was not interested in her, and she chose to just keep coming at him because of his status and money until he just snapped? We cannot be so naive to completely dismiss this as a possibility. Were her actions that night were 100% financially motivated?
Let me conclude with - what Kareem did on the video is despicable. But there are many layers to this story. We will know by the conclusion of the investigation and court case if Kareem is truly remorseful. If he is not, no way does he deserve a second bite at the NFL apple until he is. But if he is, I can see granting him another chance - just like someone granted me on many occasions.
@Brooksie With all due respect Brooksie, there was a door with (I'm sure) a very good lock on it. All Hunt had to do when she was outside the room was to walk back inside use the door and the lock.
@DUN Yup - you are 1000% correct. His behavior was foolish at the very least. Time to move past that. He needs to learn how to avoid those situations - whether that is as an NFL player or a private citizen.
There's always more than one side to most if not all stories. As they...........it'll all come out in the wash.
As I said above. Someone was going to take a chance on him. How about Pittsburgh? Or Baltimor? Would we rather see them take the chance on him and have him run all over us?
Russ and I were talking about this on Twitter.
Let him sign with one of those teams and the Cleveland Media is all over the Browns because they never take chances on players.. (except they have..Callaway and Josh Gordon to name a couple)
low risk, high reward.
Im fine with it.
Especially when it came out yesterday that Hunt's contract is for the league MINIMUM and it contains ZERO guaranteed dollars. And you add an elite RB for that?
The more time that goes by, the more I am comfortable with this signing. Yes, he effed up. But it sounds like from his background, the instruction of how to be a man may have been lacking. As long as he is meeting whatever standards have been laid down by the Browns and the league office, he should not be denied the opportunity to make a living. If he doesn't - he and the Browns part ways at relatively no cost to the Browns.
AND the following season he will be a RFA, so the Browns hold the right to match any offer.
Its really is a very low risk, very high reward.
I think (occasionally - LOL), IIRC, what we learned with the Josh Gordon saga is that any contract that Kareem is under pauses while he is under suspension. So, if he loses all of 2019 to suspension - the contract he just signed fast forwards to 2020, and 2021 becomes his RFA year.
yardbarker.com
Details reported on Kareem Hunt's deal with Browns
This article first appeared on Pro Football Rumors and was syndicated with permission. 2 minutes
Kareem Hunt‘s one-year deal with the Browns includes a base salary of $645K, a $25K per-game roster bonus for each game that he is active, and a $55K offseason workout bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. It’s not exactly a top-of-the-market deal for a running back, but it’s actually a better deal that the one Hunt had with the Chiefs prior to his release.
Hunt will be able to earn $420K more from the Browns on a new contract than he would under his his old contract, had he been claimed, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap notes (on Twitter). There’s also upside for next year – Hunt will have the ability to earn more as a restricted free agent in 2020 than he would have as a fourth-year rookie.
The Browns’ decision to sign Hunt has stirred up some controversy and the details of his new deal won’t help ease the criticism. Recently, GM John Dorsey admitted the Browns’ investigation into Hunt’s past did not include speaking with the victim of his hotel assault, which didn’t help matters.
“I talked to a lot of people (but) I didn’t get a chance to talk to that victim,” Dorsey said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “That’s probably part of her privacy stuff.”
Hunt won the 2017 rushing title with 1,327 yards on the ground. Prior to his Kansas City departure last year, he compiled 1,202 yards from scrimmage and scored 14 total touchdowns in 11 games.
My only issue with this whole thing is that the talking heads keep referring to this incident as domestic violence. It's not and they should stop labeling it as such. They should also stop reporting in such a way that makes the other two incidents involving Kareem look like he has done this to other females. The articles (at least the ones I've read) casually lead you to believe that this is a pattern of behavior against women. You have to read deeper into the articles to find out that the other two incidents involve men. The only thing I see as common between the three is that they appear to be bar fights. Or at the very least all alcohol related. We need to stop convicting people (even celebrities) in the court of public opinion.
NFL has announced that Kareem Hunt will be suspended 8 games.
Eligible to play in the Browns' ninth game of 2019.
There will be some, of both genders, that feel the 8 game suspension is far too light. Now, let me say violence of this kind - against both males and females - disgusts me, and is the root of a lot of problems in this world. The key is keeping your head in a situation like that, or taking the steps to avoid the situation all together.
That being said, I must question all those that feel this suspension is too light. Keep in my that Kareem missed 5 games already in Kansas City after being released by the Chiefs plus the forfeiture of the rest of his contract. He has already lost an exorbitant amount of money and will continue to lose more in this 8 game stretch. So, the man has paid what I consider dearly already.
We will never know all the details of these investigations, but I wonder if the young woman involved is as innocent as she claims to be. I would guess not. That certainly does NOT condone what happened to her - a better solution could have been worked out.
But at what point are you being punitive just for the sake of being punitive? None of us walking this earth are perfect, we all screw up in varying degrees. My take is let Kareem serve his suspension, then let him play. BUT - he must step onto the field that his past behavior is fundamentally wrong, and will not be tolerated in the least. If he learns that lesson, we can all put this to bed. If not - I hope Mr. Hunt has an extended stay as a gust of The State of Ohio at The Graybar Hotel.
https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/nfl-announces-suspension-for-browns-rb-kareem-hunt
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2825870-browns-kareem-hunt-suspended-8-games-for-violating-nfl-personal-conduct-policy
You guys want to see what is in store on week 10? Take a peek