I find it sad, yet it definitely takes the attention away from the actual story when it comes to the arrest of former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Chad Wheeler. Instead of focusing on his heinous crime the conversation now is about race issues and the double standard of the media. So far the examples I have seen are Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt.
Let’s start with Rice. The Baltimore Ravens knew of his arrest almost immediately. Still it took five months before the National Football League disciplied him. He got suspended for two games which seemed fine at the time.
Then about two months later TMZ released the video from the parking garage. The end result the Ravens cutting Rice and the NFL with a revamped domestic violence policy suspending him indefinitely.
He then appealed that decision and won which made him a free agent.
Of course we do know now that after that video got released no team was willing to sign the talented running back. Let me ask this did he deserve the discipline he got? Should have been able to play again? I’m not so sure. Let’s not forget that Rice got to enter a pretrial diversion program which once he completed dismissed the assault charge against him.
What is there to say about Hardy? His arguably is right up there with Wheeler. He got convicted of assault and communicating threats. The copy of the police report is easy to find and really not that difficult to figure out what happened since it is easily obtainable.
In my opinion the Hardy story didn’t even come close to getting the national attention it deserved. reportedly the only reason the case got dismissed is because the victim didn’t want to go through another trial and have to relive the events.
Hardy got put on the commissioner’s exempt list and eventually reinstated in 2015 where he played in 12 games for the Dallas Cowboys. He hasn’t played in the NFL since though. This is due to the backlash of photos being released showing his alleged victim’s injuries.
It took nearly two years before Hardy got forced out. I really don’t see Wheeler ever getting the opportunity to play again.
Hill’s character got questioned. Rightfully so. He got in trouble while at Oklahoma State for domestic assault and battery. He ultimately got put on probation for three years and after completing it the conviction got removed.
Even with the character concerns. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the fifth-round with the 165th pick overall. Since that time he’s become one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Yet, more recently there was reportedly child abuse in which his three-year-old son broke his arm.
In my opinion child abuse is right up there with domestic violence as something that deserves scrutiny. Especially since there was an audio recording of part of a conversation that got released. Hill did immediately get suspended by the Chiefs. After investigation no further punishment from the NFL got received and there were also no charges filed against him either.
I think we can all agree that the NFL investigating a claim like that is important and needs to get taken seriously.
As for Hunt there’s video of what he did. The Chiefs definitely did the right thing by releasing him. He also got suspended for eight games, yet ended up signing with the Cleveland Browns. Who now have the top 1-2 tandem at running back in the NFL.
Also, let’s not forget about Adrian Peterson. He abused his son. There are pictures of what he did and that didn’t matter to the Minnesota Vikings which at first gave him a slap on the wrist. Excuses were made for him and ultimately Minnesota needed to reverse course because of outrage and ultimately placed him on the exempt list.
Of course Petereson is stil playing now. I for one thought he needed to get banned for life. Apparently child abuse is justifiable as long as it’s viewed as discipline.
So what has Wheeler allegedly done? He supposedly in a manic state asked his girlfriend to bow to him. She refused and he ended up choking her until she was unconscious. When she came to he allegedly said ‘Wow, you’re still alive.”
On social media there’s a picture of the facial injuries allegedly suffered by Wheeler’s girlfriend. There’s also a 9-1-1 call that shows besides the bleeding she also indicated that she suffered a dislocated arm.
With Wheeler there wasn’t any delay with reporting his arrest. Information of happened spread quickly on social media regardless of what site you were on. The details are sickening.
Wheeler for sure regardless of what transpires will never play another down in the NFL.
He now has to live with what he did. Prison is definitely in his future as wheeler got charged with two felonies (first-degree domestic violence assault, domestic violence unlawful imprisonment) and a misdemeanor (resisting arrest).
So I’m still trying to find the double standard. Each allegation against these NFL players on their own merits are disturbing. The reality is four of the five players either got reinstated or played again.
Only one will not and that’s Wheeler.