The Chicago Bears like everybody else received the news on Friday that the Kansas City Chiefs had placed their star running back Kareem Hunt on waivers. The reason? Video evidence had just been released by TMZ showing him shoving and kicking a woman during a hotel room confrontation. Given the domestic violence issues that are rampant in today’s NFL, the Chiefs organization was swift in their action.
Most people compare this to the Ray Rice situation years back. Except this time it’s different. Rice’s transgression was considerably worse, but he was also older and on the backside of his career. Hunt is 23-years old and in the midst of his second season. He was the league’s leading rusher as a rookie in 2017. This is a superstar player.
One has to imagine that sooner or later teams won’t be able to hold back their interest in signing him once the controversy dies down. What many fans are dying to know is whether the Bears could be one of those teams. Connections alone make it a possibility. Matt Nagy was Hunt’s offensive coordinator during his rookie season. The Bears have struggled running the ball this year too. It seems like such a natural connection.
So here are three answers why it won’t.
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#Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, which takes him off the field going forward following a video of him pushing and kicking a woman being released by TMZ.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 1, 2018
#1: Chicago Bears policy changed after the Ray McDonald fiasco
Back in 2015, the Bears were a little more open to giving players with this kind of background a second chance. Such was the case with former 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald. He’d played under Vic Fangio for a number of years out in San Francisco. The team needed help up front, so it was a natural thing to consider signing him. However, McDonald already had gotten in trouble for domestic violence before.
He assured them that the incident was isolated and that he was prepared to accept an incentive-laden deal to prove his good faith. So the Bears signed him. Not two months later he was arrested by California police after getting into a drunken confrontation with his former fiancee for domestic violence and child endangerment. It was a bad look for the Bears, who quickly terminated his contract.
Not only have they not signed anybody with such a background since, but they’ve gone out of their way to avoid them. Most of their draft picks and signings have been players with spotless backgrounds.
#2: Virginia McCaskey is the owner
Considering the crime involves the physical abuse of a woman, it’s important to note that the Bears principal owner is Virginia McCaskey. People so often forget a woman commands control of this franchise. One who has donated to many charities in her life, some of which involve women who have been raped or abused in domestic violence situations.
One can imagine she wouldn’t be the most receptive to the idea of signing somebody like Hunt. Especially after the McDonald incident and given the fact there’s undeniable video evidence this time.
#3: Hunt could be banned if it happens again
People tend to not remember but this isn’t the first time that Hunt has been in trouble for something like this. There have been rumblings that he had similar problems even going back to his high school days. That’s why he ended up at Toledo in college instead of bigger programs like Michigan or Ohio State which were right in his backyard.
Two Ohio high school coaches tonight on Hunt, “There’s a reason he wasn’t legitimately recruited by Ohio State or Michigan despite all that talent”
— Anthony Lima (@SportsBoyTony) December 1, 2018
This would mean that Hunt is a repeat offender. Not a good sign for the future if and when he was signed by a team. This likely means he faces the serious possibility of it happening again, and in that situation, he could be banned from the NFL permanently. All this could end up doing is making the Bears look bad again on his way out. It’s not worth the trouble.
