The Kansas City Chiefs’ running back Kareem Hunt has been cut by the Chiefs after a video showed Hunt attacking a woman in a Cleveland hotel in February.
The Chiefs organization said the following statement regarding the release:
“Earlier this year, we were made aware of an incident involving running back Kareem Hunt. At that time, the National Football League and law enforcement initiated investigations into the issue. 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.”
Before having been cut by Kansas City, Hunt was sent home from practice and shortly thereafter, placed on the commissioner’s exempt list. Hunt would be on paid leave but would be excused from practicing, playing in or attending games until the investigation is over and a decision on potential discipline is made.
Neither the NFL nor the Chiefs had seen the video before it became public on Friday. The league did, however, make attempts in trying to obtain the video, per reports. NFL representatives were told by the hotel that it was corporate policy to only turn over the video to law enforcement.
In our an earlier story, the video shows Hunt attacking Abigail Ottinger, a 19-year-old college student. The two are shown exchanging words and being restrained. However, she is shown hitting Hunt, which makes Hunt shove a man who was trying to restrain from Ottinger, causing both of them to fall. Hunt made his way toward her and kicked her in the leg as she was trying to get up.
Hunt was never suspended by the NFL for the incident.
When asked about the incident in August, Hunt didn’t have very much to say concerning the matter.
“I’ve learned from it and I’m focused on football,” Hunt said. “Just be in the right place at the right time. I’m going to keep thinking about football and go out there and do my job.”
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt also defended his running back and told NFL.com that he had learned from the mistake.
“Kareem is a young man, second year in the league, obviously had a very big year on the field last year,” Clark Hunt said. “I’m sure he learned some lessons this offseason and hopefully won’t be in those kind of situations in the future.”
Hunt led the entire league last year in rushing in his rookie campaign, running for 1,327 yards and eight touchdowns. In the Chiefs’ first 11 games of the 2018 regular season, Hunt tallied 1,202 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns.
Kansas City has an AFC-best 9-2 record entering Sunday’s showdown with the Oakland Raiders.
