Should The Browns Have Signed Kareem Hunt?

Should The Browns Have Signed Kareem Hunt?

After getting released by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year, Kareem Hunt has now signed with the Cleveland Browns

Patrick Dowd
Patrick Dowd Feb 20, 2019
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Last Tuesday the Cleveland Browns decided to sign former Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt to a one year deal. Hunt has been surrounded by controversy since being released from the Chiefs after discovering a video of Hunt getting into an altercation with a woman in a hotel on Nov. 30 which Chiefs co-owner and CEO Clark Hunt indicated in a statement that Hunt was not truthful about the incident. Regardless of these past events, the Browns felt as if Hunt had taken the necessary steps to redeem himself and prove he is worth giving a second chance.

There have been many who have spoken out against Hunt's signing saying how there should be a zero tolerance policy in the NFL for this kind of behavior which I think is a bit too far. Before I go any further I'll say this. No one in their right mind should ever lay their hands on a woman or any human for that matter in a hurtful manner. It's horrible and there should be serious consequences for it. But Hunt should not have the opportunity to make a living in his respected profession taken away from him. For me, Shannon Sharpe knocked this one on the head last year when Hunt was first released (Fast forward to the 10:00 minute mark or listen to the whole thing it's pretty good).

[BREAKING NEWS] Chiefs release Hunt was "not truthful" about February incident| Undisputed 12/3/2018 YouTube

Just because he plays in the NFL and a lot of people know about his case shouldn't mean that you get to stop working. Everyone should be held to the same standard because this is a society problem, not just an NFL problem. That being said I don't believe that Hunt will go off without any sort of suspension and that's something I do think should come his way.

Now I do believe that Hunt should get a second shot, but do I believe that the Browns are the right spot for him?

The Browns general manager John Dorsey was the one who drafted Hunt back when he was the Chiefs at the same position and that's about the only factor which makes sense in this signing. For the first time in what feels like a century, the Browns are poised to have success in the near future. They're young, talented and extremely likable and that last thing they need is more controversy. Hunt's signing could, in fact, alienate some of their fanbase and even worse some of the players in their locker room.

What's even more of a head-scratcher about this move is that Cleveland already has two good running backs. Duke Johnson Jr. has shown to be a solid running back and Nick Chubb who was drafted LAST YEAR has shown signs of greatness in his rookie year. Throw Hunt into the mix and the backfield has just become extremely crowded and could unsettle some players.

Hunt definitely should get a second chance at playing in the NFL, but in my opinion, the Browns aren't the right spot for him.

Patrick Dowd
Patrick Dowd Feb 20, 2019
At The University of Alabama

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To The Coach Who Ruined The Game For Me

We can't blame you completely, but no one has ever stood up to you before.
Lexi Potter
Lexi Potter Nov 15, 2016
509498
views

I know you never gave it a second thought, the idea that you're the reason I and many others, never went any farther in our athletic careers.

I know you didn't sincerely care about our mental health, as long as we were physically healthy and our bodies were working enough to play. It's obvious your calling wasn't coaching and you weren't meant to work with young adults, some who look to you as a parent figure or a confidant.

I also know that if we were to express our concerns about the empty feeling we began to feel when we stepped onto the court, you wouldn't have taken the conversation seriously because it wasn't your problem.

I know we can't blame you completely, no one has ever stood up to you before. No one said anything when girls would spend their time in the locker room crying because of something that was said or when half the team considered quitting because it was just too much.

We can't get mad at the obvious favoritism because that's how sports are played.

Politics plays a huge role and if you want playing time, you have to know who to befriend. We CAN get mad at the obvious mistreatment, the empty threats, the verbal abuse, “It's not what you say, its how you say it."

We can get mad because a sport that we loved so deeply and had such passion for, was taken away from us single-handedly by an adult who does not care. I know a paycheck meant more to you than our wellbeing, and I know in a few years you probably won't even remember who we are, but we will always remember.

We will remember how excited we used to get on game days and how passionate we were when we played. How we wanted to continue on with our athletic careers to the next level when playing was actually fun. We will also always remember the sly remarks, the obvious dislike from the one person who was supposed to support and encourage us.

We will always remember the day things began to change and our love for the game started to fade.

I hope that one day, for the sake of the young athletes who still have a passion for what they do, you change.

I hope those same athletes walk into practice excited for the day, to get better and improve, instead of walking in with anxiety and worrying about how much trouble they would get into that day. I hope those athletes play their game and don't hold back when doing it, instead of playing safe, too afraid to get pulled and benched the rest of the season.

I hope they form an incredible bond with you, the kind of bond they tell their future children about, “That's the coach who made a difference for me when I was growing up, she's the reason I continued to play."

I don't blame you for everything that happened, we all made choices. I just hope that one day, you realize that what you're doing isn't working. I hope you realize that before any more athletes get to the point of hating the game they once loved.

To the coach that ruined the game for me, I hope you change.

Cover Image Credit: Author's photo
Lexi Potter
Lexi Potter Nov 15, 2016
At Stephen F. Austin State University

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Possible Landing Spots For Antonio Brown In 2019

The seven-time Pro Bowl wideout looks to be on his way out of Pittsburgh.

Patrick Olde Loohuis
Patrick Olde Loohuis Mar 12, 2019
22
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According to several reports, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown requested a trade from his team of nine years after their 2018 season ended without a postseason berth. Brown thanked the Steelers fan base for their support and said it was "time to move on and forward" in a tweet in February. Ever since the reports came out, speculation has run rampant about his next possible landing spot. Brown has developed into one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, posting the most receptions and receiving yards of any player since he entered the league. There are several potential suitors for the veteran wideout.

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco has a wealth of cap space in the near future. Their tight end George Kittle seems to have reached out to Brown and has received an eye-raising response from him. In addition, Brown liked a Photoshop image of himself in a 49ers uniform and Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice has stated that Brown wants to play for the team. San Francisco could use another dynamic offensive threat to complement Kittle and Brown certainly fits that bill.

Oakland Raiders

Another team with a significant amount of cap space, Oakland is in desperate need of playmakers after trading Amari Cooper. They are staring a steep rebuild directly in the face and could look to start it up by trading for Brown. The Raiders also have five first-round draft picks in the next two years, so they possess the capital necessary to execute such a trade.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers offense struggled last season without many viable receiving options besides Davante Adams. They could use a second weapon and possess two first-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. Playing with two-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be tempting to Brown, and the Packers could be serious Super Bowl contenders if they acquire him.

Pittsburgh could keep Brown for the 2019 season and beyond, as he is signed through 2021, but it is clear that he wants out of the Steel City. He could end up on one of these teams sooner rather than later.

Patrick Olde Loohuis
Patrick Olde Loohuis Mar 12, 2019
At Washington State University

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