The Kansas City Chiefs reportedly knew about multiple incidents involving their former running back Kareem Hunt before they released him.
According to the Associated Press, the “organization was aware of three separate off-field incidents,” which led to Hunt being released by the Chiefs on Friday, November 30. Also, following Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens, Chiefs owners said “the NFL was made aware of each of the cases.”
The 23-year old Hunt, a native of Willoughby, Ohio and product of both South High School and the University of Toledo, was released by the Chiefs after video surfaced showing him shoving, and later, kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel. During the video, Hunt was seen having to be physically restrained by another member of the group that had gathered in a hotel hallway.
Since being released, Hunt reportedly has sought counseling to address his off-the-field issues.
In two years with the Chiefs, Hunt rushed for 2,151 yards and 15 touchdowns with 106 first downs, 19 plays going for at least 20 yards and four were 40-yard gains. Additionally, Hunt caught 79 passes out of the backfield for 833 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a single-season career high seven in 2018.
Last season, Hunt was not expected to be the Chiefs’ starting running back, but an injury to another player gave him the bulk of the carries, and he went on to lead the NFL in rushing with 1,327 yards on 272 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per attempt, which earned him a spot on the AFC Pro Bowl team.
Hunt was a third-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2017 NFL Draft, and since his release, has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, meaning even if another team were to sign him, he could not play until cleared by the league office.