Sunday's NFL: Bears among teams looking at Kareem Hunt
Multiple teams are interested in disgraced running back Kareem Hunt, ESPN reported Sunday, citing a league source who expects the former Chiefs star will be back on NFL sidelines “sooner rather than later.”
Just last week, the Bears floated the idea of bringing Hunt aboard their franchise.
“I talked to Kareem, completely wanting to know how he’s doing,” Bears coach Matt Nagy, who worked with Hunt in Kansas City last season, told reporters. “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.
“I was raised that way, to give guys second chances, not third chances.”
Hunt, 23, has been out of the public eye and attending counseling for alcohol and anger management since breaking his silence on the disturbing hotel video in December.
The video footage, captured last February but published by TMZ in November, shows Hunt grossly shoving and kicking a woman. The AFC championship bound Chiefs quickly cut Hunt, who remains on the commissioner’s exempt list and would need to be reinstated before joining a new organization.
“I regret the entire thing, everything,” Hunt told ESPN. “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.”
NFL.com reports the league is still investigating the horrendous video, as well as two other incidents in which Hunt allegedly punched a man at a resort and took part in a separate club altercation.
There will be plenty of teams waiting if Hunt isn’t punished further.
Fine time
Patriots teammates Trey Flowers and Trent Brown have each been fined $20,054 by the NFL for illegal hits in the Patriots’ divisional-round win last Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Flowers’ fine was for a low hit on quarterback Philip Rivers that resulted in a penalty for roughing the passer in the third quarter of the Patriots’ victory. Brown was docked for his unnecessary roughness penalty after a block during the game.
Indianapolis safety J.J. Wilcox was also fined $20,054 by the league for a horsecollar tackle in a loss to Kansas City last Saturday. Colts teammate Denico Autry has to pay $13,369 after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on him following his celebratory dance after a sack.
Philadelphia’s Tim Jernigan was fined $10,026 for unsportsmanlike conduct after he was called for taunting late in the first quarter of the Eagles’ loss at New Orleans.