Jack Dempsey/Associated Press
One of the leading rushers in the National Football League has been cut by the Kansas City Chiefs after a video surfaced showing him violently shoving and kicking a woman.
Kareem Hunt was released late this afternoon by the Chiefs after the star running back was shown in a TMZ video accosting a woman at a Cleveland Hotel. The 19-year-old woman, a college student, had accompanied Hunt and some friends back to his hotel room. When the women were asked to leave, a confrontation ensued.
Earlier today, Hunt was placed on the commissioners exempt list by the NFL. That sanction meant he could not practice, play or attend games during a league investigation. The league issued a statement on the suspension: “The NFLs investigation, which began immediately following the incident in February, will include a review of the new information that was made public today.”
Much as it did in the 2014 incident where Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was shown punching his girlfriend (now his wife) in an elevator, the NFL apparently was slow to act in yet another violence against women incident until video surfaced. Rice was initially suspended two games for his incident, but then received an indefinite ban when the video surfaced. He never played another NFL game.
The Chiefs admitted they knew about the Hunt incident, which happened last February, but claimed Hunt lied to them about it.
“At that time, the National Football League and law enforcement initiated investigations into the issue,” the Chiefs team statement said. “As part of our internal discussions with Kareem, several members of our management team spoke directly to him. Kareem was not truthful in those discussions. The video released today confirms that fact. We are releasing Kareem immediately.”
Hunt was the fifth leading rusher in the NFL this year, helping the Chiefs to a 9-2 record and first place in the AFC West conference. Last year, he led the league with 1,327 yards rushing.
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