Pacman suspended for 2007; Henry suspended 8 games

[50cent]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 10, 2007


NFL SUSPENDS ADAM JONES FOR 2007 SEASON AND CHRIS HENRY FOR FIRST EIGHT REGULAR-SEASON GAMES

NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL has informed ADAM JONES of the Tennessee Titans and CHRIS HENRY of the Cincinnati Bengals that they have been suspended without pay for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and engaging in conduct detrimental to the league on numerous occasions, the NFL announced today.

Jones was suspended for the 2007 season, while Henry was suspended for the first eight games of the 2007 regular season. Each player must earn the right to be reinstated.

“We must protect the integrity of the NFL,” Commissioner Goodell said. “The highest standards of conduct must be met by everyone in the NFL because it is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right. These players, and all members of our league, have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent basis.”

In a letter to each player, Commissioner Goodell wrote: “Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct warrants significant sanction.”

Jones will be strictly monitored by the Titans and the NFL during the suspension as part of his opportunity to earn reinstatement through adherence to a set of conditions. His status will be reviewed after the Titans’ 10th regular-season game to determine the extent to which he has complied with the conditions and whether the suspension should be affected by the disposition of any pending or prospective charges.

The specific conditions that apply to Jones’ suspension include the following:

* He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
* He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned under league or court-ordered programs.
* He must adhere to the restrictions on his activities that have been agreed to by he and the Titans.
* He may not be at the Titans’ facility through May 31 and may not participate in any practices or organized workouts during the term of the suspension. Beginning June 1, he must visit the team facility once each week to meet with the team’s player development director. Also, beginning June 1, he is permitted to spend one day a week at the team facility for conditioning, film study, and other similar activities.
*In conjunction with the team’s player development director and other professionals working with him, Jones must develop with the Titans a structured program of community service or other activity. This program must be submitted to the league office for review and approval.

Henry will be reinstated after the Bengals’ eighth regular-season game if he meets certain conditions during his suspension that will be monitored closely by the Bengals and the NFL. Those conditions include the following:

* He must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.
* He must fully cooperate with all required counseling, education, and treatment assigned to him under league programs.
* He is eligible to be at the Bengals’ facilities during the rest of the offseason for customary activities and he must meet weekly with the team’s player development director.
* If he fully complies with all other conditions, he may participate in the Bengals’ training camp and preseason games.
* During the regular season, he is permitted to be at the Bengals’ facility for team meetings and must meet weekly with the team’s player development director, but he may not attend or participate in practice.
* He must fully comply with all conditions imposed on him by any court, including requirements of community service.

Jones and Henry were told that any failure to comply with these conditions will result in additional discipline, including possible banishment from the league.

“I must emphasize to you that this is your last opportunity to salvage your NFL career,” Commissioner Goodell wrote to Jones and Henry. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you in that effort.”

 

[Hostile]

And the gavel falls.

Good for the new Commish.

 

[Avery]

Completely agree.

I'm glad Goodell is establishing himself and the league in that such actions have consequences inside the lines as well.

 

[masomenos]

Good for Goodell, he made the right call. I hope both Henry and Pacman get their act together and come back strong.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Could not happen to a couple of nicer guys.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

OUCH!

Serves those guys right.

I do feel bad for the fans of each team... they were sort of sold out by the folks within the organization that are picking these players that have a propensity for creating mischief.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Clean the NFL up.......it should be an honor to play and get paid for football

 

[WoodysGirl]

Of course, this will be fought by the NFLPA. But I'm glad the hammer was brought down. The question is: Who's next?

 

[Paniolo22]

I wonder what the appeals process is for this? Is Upshaw going to get involved, or is the comish word "law"? Very interesting. I like it!

 

[sago1]

My only question relates to what happens to the salary/bonus they were to receive in the 07 season and cap implications for the Titans. Nothing was said about either having to repay any monies, etc. I guess if no relief is on monies is provided then the Titans and Bengals must eat the cap cost which is their punishment on drafting these players and failure to attempt control them by team suspensions, etc.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Disciplinary Hearings Leave N.F.L. Union in Awkward Spot

By JUDY BATTISTA
Published: April 3, 2007
With disciplinary hearings scheduled today for Tennessee Titans cornerback Pacman Jones and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, the N.F.L. players union could find itself caught between some angry players and a much larger group that applauds the crackdown.
The hearings could lead to lengthy suspensions for Jones and Henry.

The union chief, Gene Upshaw, is in New York, and the player advisory council will meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell today to discuss the personal conduct policy that is expected to give Goodell broad powers to issue stronger punishments for players who repeatedly run afoul of the law.

The policy, discussed at length at last week’s N.F.L. annual meeting, is expected to be completed by the commissioner’s office before the draft’s first day on April 28.

Upshaw and the council will also discuss the specifics of the cases that Goodell is grappling with now: those involving Jones, Henry and Chicago Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson, who is serving a four-month prison sentence for a parole violation. Johnson also has a weapons charge pending.

The union will not participate in the hearings for Jones and Henry. Jones, who has been questioned by the police in connection with 10 separate incidents but has no convictions, is expected to receive a lengthy suspension, perhaps as long as a full season, the maximum ban that is expected to be available under the new policy. Henry is one of nine Bengals arrested in the past year.

After the hearings, Upshaw and his council will meet again with Goodell to discuss his findings and offer their opinions on a penalty. Goodell is likely to announce the discipline within 10 days.

Last week, Jones’s lawyer, Manny Arora, told The Associated Press that he was prepared to fight league discipline. That will leave the union in an unusual position.

“We have a duty of fair representation for our players,” Upshaw said. “But we also understand we have to do something. What we have to do is look at each case and decide, and we don’t want to do anything to prejudice a legal case.

“The players understand this is something we have to solve. Fines are not working, so we have to find other ways to change behavior.”

Troy Vincent, one of the union’s most active members, has spoken several times to Jones, Upshaw said, and is concerned about his mental state. Upshaw said that Jones had little privacy, with gawkers parked in his driveway. Upshaw has no doubt that Jones will receive a suspension of some length, but says that the union and league will look at each case separately.

“The problem with all this is whatever has happened, the players have brought it on themselves,” Upshaw said. “Every day it’s been something.”

LINK

 

[Future]

I think thats a little steep for the first suspension he has made, but its probably right

 

[AtlCB]

My only question relates to what happens to the salary/bonus they were to receive in the 07 season and cap implications for the Titans. Nothing was said about either having to repay any monies, etc. I guess if no relief is on monies is provided then the Titans and Bengals must eat the cap cost which is their punishment on drafting these players and failure to attempt control them by team suspensions, etc.

The suspension is unpaid, so I assume the Titans do not have to worry about Pacman's salary being on the cap this year. I'm not sure about the bonus. I would guess that the Titans get no relief there.

 

[sago1]

Understand the NFLPA met with the Commissioner and were in agreement that something needed to be done. Within last few days the committee composed of 6 NFL players was established who would meet with the Commish when requested to provide guidance. Bet you he talked with them just to get their input. Doubt if he would have taken this stand unless he had their complete agreement/approval.

 

[CosmicCowboy]

Allright..a Commish with 'cojones' good job !

 

[LittleRed212]

I agree with it too, although I'll be interested to see the the debate on how and why Pacman got a longer suspension than Henry. Although I have no major beef with it, people are going to make it seem like it's a bigger issue than what it is.

The NFLPA should just stay out of it and acknowledge the fact that it had to be done sooner or later. Do they want their players to be put into the same category as Pacman and Henry? I highly doubt it...so in my opinion, they should just sit back and keep their mouths shut, although it's not going to happen.

These guys just didn't learn! They had chance after chance after chance to stay out of trouble, but they didn't, so they got what was coming to them.

The NFL is so incredibly popular and we all love it so much. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has seen the whole morale and personality of the NFL shift to a much less positive one in the past few seasons.

I'm glad that the league is taking the steps to let players know that they can't get away with everything just because they're athletes.

 

[tunahelper]

Light sentence for punkman Jones!

 

[LittleRed212]

Light sentence for punkman Jones!

That's true. If he was in the real world, he probably would've already been in jail, or at the very least, had a very good butt-whoopin'.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

What I dont like is the standards Goodell tried to use in the contracts. I mean he justifies doing this on the basis of ridicule?

i also think hes a bit premature on the basis that Jones hasnt even been convicted of a crime yet. if he is exonerated then the NFL is going to get the hammer big time. habeas corpus being violated is a pretty compelling argument.

 

[Juke99]

Dang...we need to get the new commissioner here as a moderator.