Goodell willing to consider letting Kareem Hunt be with team during suspension

[Chomps]

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The Browns are hoping to have Kareem Hunt around the team during his eight-game suspension this year, and the NFL sounds willing to consider the possibility.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said during his press conference last night that he’d be open-minded, as long as Hunt fulfilled the prescribed steps after his physical altercation with a female which was captured on videotape.

“I left open the door that maybe for a portion of the suspension, that I would allow access back into the facility in an earlier stage,’’ Goodell said. “We have done that frequently in the context of longer suspensions in the best interest of the player, so that a player can adjust back in, have the opportunity to get back into the workout routine including practices, potentially.

“But, a lot of that will be dependent on consistency with things we agreed to when I met with Kareem. What we laid out and what we agreed to as far as using the resources of the league and the Players Association to make sure that he’s making better decisions going forward, and that was very clearly stated. I expect that will be the foundation of any decision I make on that point.”

The handling of the former Chiefs running back has drawn criticism, but the team has stood behind a guy who has never played a down for them. He’s currently undergoing anger management counseling and performing community service

Owner Dee Haslam told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that her conversations with Hunt before he was signed were convincing.

“That was the main thing that led us to say yes,” Haslam said. “He’s a really nice young man who obviously made some horrendous mistakes but owns those. He owned them. Wants to do better. Wants to be a better person. Listening to John [Dorsey] and Freddie [Kitchens], they felt confident he would contribute to the team and could do this. It’s up to Kareem. He has to prove it. But he’s a young man who made a terrible mistakes. It’s something we put a lot of thought into.

“Everything is up to him. Obviously there are no guarantees here. He seemed very sincere and very remorseful. He realized his actions were unacceptable.”

And it seems that if he follows through with his program and avoids future trouble, the league is willing to work with him.