The NFL has made it their top priority in recent years to aid social justice causes for “change in society.” But based on some of it’s employee’s behavior over the past five months, it should be focusing on change from within instead.
Ten players have been arrested since February alone, marking an unusually high rate for a league that seems okay with hiring repeat offenders. The full list is here, but here are the more well-known players that have been committed arrest-worthy offenses:
New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara: Just after he caught four passes for 23 yards for the NFC in the Pro Bowl in February, Kamara was arrested on charges of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm on Feb. 6. The night before the NFL’s meaningless all-pro game, Kamara reportedly beat someone at a nightclub in Sin City. He was detained at Clark County Detention Center before being released.
Denver Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy: Police arrested the former first-round pick for tampering with a domestic violence enhancer on May 12. Jeudy had taken some of his daughter’s mother’s personal belongings in an altercation, but that there was no physical contact according to the mother, so the charges were dropped.
“Everything turned out well. I don’t want to put myself and the team in a position like that. So, I’m glad everything was handled how it needed to be,” Jeudy said after the incident.
Free-agent running back Adrian Peterson: Officials in Los Angeles International Airport arrested Peterson on Feb. 13 (the day of the Super Bowl) due to an altercation between him and his wife. While his wife stated that there was no physical contact during the altercation, Peterson was booked and released on a $50,000 bond. The star running back also had to complete 20 sessions of domestic violence and alcohol training over the following six months to avoid a misdemeanor charge.
Peterson has a history of domestic violence issues. In 2014, he abused his infant child and caused him significant physical injuries.
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That abbreviated list of employee offenses should be enough to grab the NFL’s attention. But as you probably guessed, its energies have been focused elsewhere.
In June, the NFL opted to renew over 21 grants in support of social justice groups, with the total of those grants amounting to $6.5 million.
Furthermore, the NFL -- like every other company during the month of June - changed its company logo to have rainbow-themed insignia and tweeted out the attendance at certain pride parades in cities across the country.
Happy Pride Month! The NFL is proud to unveil our new NFL Pride shield to show our support and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
— NFL (@NFL) June 1, 2021
We stand with LGBTQ+ people this month and yearlong with a commitment to our players, our fans and our staff to live proudly and authentically. pic.twitter.com/oLaMQaXcpZ
However, not much has been done to address the growing player behavior problem within the league, and that is concerning. But at this point, we shouldn’t be surprised at the level of stupidity the NFL will stoop to to virtue signal in the world’s eyes.
