Getty Former Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt
The situation surrounding former Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt isn’t going to cool off anytime soon. Following the release of a video which showed the 23-year-old both push and then later kick a woman in a Cleveland hotel, Hunt’s fate with the Chiefs was all but sealed. He was released shortly after the video came to light and the details on the situation have been few and far between since.
But in a recent story from The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, some aspects of the reported story behind Hunt’s release did come out. As Taylor revealed, the team first sent the running back home after the video came out. Then hours later, he was called back for the conversation which resulted in his release.
Per Taylor, Hunt cried in the meeting with the coaching staff and front office members, pleading with them to reconsider the decision.
“Hunt cried in front of his coaches and members of the front office, according to multiple league sources with knowledge of the situation. With trembling emotion in his voice, Hunt apologized for his mistake and pleaded to the Chiefs to reconsider their decision.”
In the same story from The Athletic, a source is cited who says Hunt’s release “really felt like a funeral.” The Chiefs vowed to help the young running back to receive another opportunity down the line, just not with them.
Kareem Hunt’s Future Outlook
There’s no known update on what Hunt’s future in the NFL looks like, but it’s tough to envision a team claiming him off waivers Monday. It’s realistic to expect that the second-year running back could wind up without a team at least for the remainder of this season and possibly beyond that. Although he’s now rushed for 2,151 yards with 833 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns in 27 career games, this obviously comes down to much more than football.
Some have cited the fact that former NFL running back Ray Rice never received another chance in the NFL. This came after a horrible video of him assaulting his girlfriend in an elevator came out. Situations such as this can never and should never be compared, but regardless, the outlook for Hunt’s immediate career is bleak.
Eagles Called a Candidate to Claim Hunt
There has been one team who an analyst pointed to as a potential landing spot for Hunt. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, he believes the Philadelphia Eagles are a potential candidate.
This isn’t an over-the-hill Ray Rice, whose best football days were behind him. This is a guy who led the league in rushing as a rookie. He’ll get his second chance somewhere, just not in Kansas City.
Potential candidates include, as mentioned last night, the Eagles. Also, the Browns currently are run by the guy who drafted Hunt in Kansas City. And what if Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy ends up coaching his own team (which could be Cleveland)?
To be clear, there is no strict reporting linking the Eagles having interest in adding Hunt, but it’s unlikely their name was just thrown out as an option for no reason. Time will tell, and Hunt will find out his fate at 5 p.m. EST on Monday when waivers process.
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