A cross-section of NFL personnel are displeased with the NFL and the Giants’ handling of the Josh Brown situation, from owners to execs to coaches and players, according to an ESPN.com report.
The NFL suspended the kicker for the Giants’ opener, but Brown returned to kick for the team for the next five games before this week’s revelations induced a trip for the veteran to the commissioner’s exempt list. Brown, who likely won’t kick in the NFL again if the careers of Ray Rice and Greg Hardy are any indication, admitted to domestic abuse in documents released this week by the King County (Wash.) Sheriff’s Office.
One owner told ESPN.com he regards the situation as “an embarrassment,” while another wondered how this could reach this point — with Brown being permitted to play again after a one-game suspension — after the events of 2014. A new domestic violence initiative was enacted under the umbrella of the personal conduct policy, calling for a six-game suspension for domestic violence cases. No player has been suspended for that amount of time, but multiple players have been essentially banished as a result of domestic violence connections, Jonathan Dwyer being another.
Two league officials claimed the interest in pursuing the Deflategate matter took precedence over this, per ESPN. 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith took to Twitter to voice his frustration about Brown’s status.
Brown can still collect his $1.15MM base salary and attend meetings at the Giants’ facility, along with a host of other permitted non-football activities. Although, with the Giants signing Robbie Gould, Brown doesn’t seem to have a purpose in Big Blue meetings any longer.
John Mara said in August the team was comfortable re-signing the 37-year-old Brown to a two-year, $4MM deal this offseason based on the information at the Giants’ disposal at the time. But the owner saying earlier this week that Brown admitted to them he’d abused his ex-wife but adding the team didn’t know the extent of the abuse did not sit well with many. The NFL could have also requested similar documents from the Browns’ divorce hearing, which is public record, prior to King County’s Sheriff’s Office releasing them this week.
Ben McAdoo said from London the team wasn’t going to turn its back on Brown despite signing Gould to kick in England, but multiple sources told ESPN they doubt Brown will kick in the NFL again.
I hate to pull the race card, but my first thought after the suspension was announced was that it was so little because Josh Brown is white. I hope I’m wrong and that the NFL is just a bunch of idiots who can’t follow their own policy (which is definitely true) but its hard not to think that if this was any non-white player, the suspension would’ve probably been longer.
So tired of this race crap. Ignorant! This is because there was no charges filed in chriminal court. The local justice system is to blame.
We all know Goodell doesn’t care one way or another if charges are filed in court or not. He imposes discipline as he sees fit regardless of public prosecution.
If you want to say the difference is that there’s no video, then maybe you have a point, but criminal charges are irrelevant when Roger is involved.
You’re tired of the race crap. I feel the same way, I’m tired and non whites getting more time for the same crimes as whites. I’m tired of being stopped when you think I don’t live in my own neighborhood. Charges being filed have nothing to do with the NFL imposing punishment. If abuse occurs the NFL player is supposed to be suspended for 6 games. Also the NFL know about Brown because he they had to give his wife a separate room because he was acting the fool at the 2015 Pro Bowl.
It didn’t occur to you that maybe race had to do with the local justice system’s poor handling of the situation? Ignorant! Race absolutely is one of the determining factors in this ridiculous saga. I’m a New Yorker and lifelong Giants fan. The Giants need to release Josh Brown immeadiately, fire McAdoo, and the NFL should take the team away from John Mara and Steve Tisch. Goodell needs to be removed as Commisioner too. Josh Brown needs to be legally charged for the crimes he’s admitted to committing.
Second that.
Back from lala land for a second. If the court documents are sealed, Brown isn’t charged, the NFL and the Giants have only the information they are given, why are so many people up in arms about this? If the NFL put him on Commisioner’s exempt list based on info they had, the Player’s Union would never allow it and NFL talk show pundits would be crying foul for overreaching. Now that new information has surfaced, it’s right that he be placed on the list and his career in jeopardy. Remember, nobody, including the wife, was speaking to the NFL about what happened, and Brown is even listed as a victim on a couple domestic disturbance calls.
With that stache, they should also do what they can to keep McAdoo away from schools and playgrounds…
Don’t teams have a duty to report known or suspected instances of domestic violence to the league for investigation? If so, how is Mara’s concession that Brown told the Giants he abused his wife not under investigation?
The league said they could only suspend under personal conduct because they had nothing to corroborate a domestic violence allegation until the journal entries that admitted to abuse, but the statements to the Giants admitted to abuse too. Had they been reported to the league for investigation, maybe the league would have acted differently.
If I were RG I would be pretty upset with a team withholding such specific information.