While his former team was battling New England in the AFC Championship, ex-Kansas City running back Kareem Hunt was looking at a way to get back into the NFL. He may have found it, as an ESPN report said that several teams were interested in him.
The Chiefs released the 23-year-old running back when a video surfaced allegedly showing him shoving and kicking a woman in a hotel. The team released him immediately.
“Earlier this year, we were made aware of an incident involving running back Kareem Hunt,†the team said in a statement. “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.â€
He was put on the commissioner’s exempt list and would need to be reinstated before joining a new organization.
While he awaits to hear what his punishment will be from the league, many teams have either publicly or privately said they are interested in having Hunt. That contradicts what the sportsbook operators are thinking in regards to his future. Oddshark posted a line on Hunt’s return to an NFL team in 2019, and had him at +175 to be on the field and -260 that he would not play a single down.
Chicago Coach Interested
The Bears head coach Matt Nagy told reporters recently that he would be open to having Hunt on his team if the situation was right. He said that he thought Hunt, who was the offensive coordinator at Kansas City before being named Chicago’s head coach in 2018, should get a second chance.
“I talked to Kareem, completely wanting to know how he’s doing,” Nagy said. “We had a good conversation. Here’s a kid that I spent a year coaching on offense. It’s a tough situation. I wanted to see … making sure that he’s OK but understanding, too, the situation that happened is unfortunate for everybody. He knows that.â€
For his part, Hunt immediately apologized after the incident and reiterated his regret for the incident in an interview with ESPN.
“I regret the entire thing, everything,” Hunt said. “I’m going to take the time to better myself, learn from this, get some help if needed, talk to people and really just take this really serious.”
Mea Culpa Might Fall Short
His comments have been followed up by an intensive counseling for alcohol and anger management since breaking his silence on the disturbing hotel video in December. He has kept out of the public eye and said he was focusing on improving himself and wasn’t thinking about a return to football.
Two issues might complicate getting back on an NFL team next season. The first is how long his suspension will be by the league for violating the personal conduct policy. Dallas Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott received a six-game ban for a similar incident.
By some with knowledge of the situation said Hunt’s suspension could be longer, especially since two other episodes apparently occurred. The first was a Hunt allegedly punching a man at an Ohio resort in June, and an altercation at a club, also in 2018.
The NFL’s findings, and Hunt’s fate, are expected before free agency begins in March.