Kansas City Chiefs: Kareem Hunt report will hang over offseason
By Ben Almquist
Kansas City Chiefs star running back Kareem Hunt was involved in an altercation this weekend that will certainly draw the eye of an unpredictable league office.
Over the weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs came face to face with the situation that every team in the league fears right now. A star player was involved in a situation where a woman claims she was assaulted by the player. For the Chiefs, that player is star running back Kareem Hunt. This is a situation that will now cast a shadow on the upcoming offseason.
Whether or not Kareem Hunt is in fact guilty of the accusation is unclear at best. There are conflicting accounts in both sides of the story that are equal parts believable and unlikely. What we do know is that so far the authorities have not seen fit to take anyone into custody, and do not consider it a matter worth pursuing.
However, with the external pressures on the NFL to treat all matters of domestic violence seriously, we can expect a league investigation. No, this is not a case of domestic violence as defined by the law. That doesn’t matter. For the league, this is a case where a woman has claimed to have been physically assaulted by a player. They will take it seriously.
This Kareem Hunt report could be nothing, but it should be taken seriously. #Chiefs fans just discrediting the woman are embarrassing themselves. Let the facts play out.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) February 12, 2018
The NFL Is Unpredictable
What the Kansas City Chiefs have to be most concerned about here is the unpredictable nature of the NFL in these situations. Some cases have resulted in little to no discipline despite overwhelming evidence. Others have been seemingly ruled on heavily despite a lack of evidence. The NFL shows no rhyme or reason for their ruling, and the Chiefs should be prepared.
If there is any “good” news from this situation, it is that so far there is no damning evidence to indicate Kareem Hunt did anything wrong. There are also some parts of the young woman’s story that would show her to have at least instigated some of the conflict. That is something that works in Hunt’s favor.
Related Story: Kansas City Chiefs: Kareem Hunt Gets Robbed At NFL Awards
However, that doesn’t mean that new evidence won’t present itself. It also doesn’t mean that the NFL won’t act anyways. The Chiefs don’t have the best history when it comes to their interactions with the league office. Whether that is a matter of chance or a systemic issue is open to debate.
What Can We Expect?
One thing that we know for certain is that the Kansas City Chiefs will work to protect themselves. Fortunately for the Chiefs, Spencer Ware should be returning this season after missing all of 2017. If Kareem Hunt does end up getting suspended for this incident, KC will at least have a reliable option to fill in.
More from Kansas City Chiefs
- How to Bet on the Chiefs vs. Cardinals in NFL Preseason Week 2
- The 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule
- DraftKings + FanDuel Kansas Promos: INSTANT $150 Bonus Plus Two Chances to Win!
- Fan-Favorite Locks Up Chiefs Roster Spot With Stellar Preseason Performance
- DraftKings NFL Kansas Promo: Bet $5 on Chiefs vs. Saints, Win $150 Bonus!
What we can also likely expect is that the team will be close-lipped on this situation. You can be sure that they have already spoken with Kareem Hunt and gotten his full account of the story. Whether that is an accurate account is unknown, but don’t doubt for a second that the Chiefs have reached out to them.
Kansas City will also be conducting their own investigation with their team security people. The Chiefs will likely be the first organization involved here to know the full truth of everything that happened. That investigation is certainly already underway with private investigators interviewing anyone and everyone involved.
Let’s hope that this is a false accusation. Kareem Hunt has the potential to be a featured face of the organization. He’s done everything right so far. It would be a shame for that to fall apart.
The Kansas City Chiefs are dealing with the absolute last situation that they had hoped to face this offseason. The one area issue that all teams fear is an accusation of a player striking a woman. The league’s reputation in the area is not good, and they often try to overcompensate. Hopefully, Kareem Hunt will be vindicated in this matter and there will be no need for discipline of any kind.