Kareem Hunt, the former Kansas City Chiefs star who was cut by the franchise in December following the release of a TMZ video which appeared to show the running back committing an act of domestic violence against a woman last February has found a new home with the Cleveland Browns. He was also accused of punching a man in June. Hunt signed a one-year contract with the team, per ESPN.
The long-beleaguered Browns were no doubt intrigued by Hunt's prodigious skills on the gridiron — he led the league in rushing as a rookie in 2017 and was on pace to rush for well over 1,000 yards again this past season before his suspension and release — and have been linked to the tailback since his initial release. But the acquisition has already warranted skepticism for its off-the-field consequences and what the signing might represent on a grander scale.
Browns general manager, John Dorsey, who originally drafted Hunt when he was serving in the same role with Kansas City, has a history of bringing players with allegations of violence into the fold. In 2016, he selected Kansas City's star wide receiver and Hunt's former teammate, Tyreek Hill, who was dismissed from Oklahoma State University's football team after a domestic violence arrest to which he pleaded guilty, and last year he used Cleveland's sixth-round draft pick on Antonio Callaway, who faced sexual assault allegations while at the University of Florida.
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ESPN reports that Dorsey said his relationship with Hunt influenced his decision, but that the team also "did extensive due diligence with many individuals, including clinical professionals" in order to determine "whether it was prudent" to sign him.
As it stands, Hunt is still subject to discipline at the hands of the NFL.
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