Sam Hurd: Chicago Bears Shouldn’t Be Blamed for WR’s Alleged Actions
Published by T.J. Mcaloon on December 16, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are responsible for the actions of the 53 men on their roster, except in this case with Sam Hurd getting arrested for allegedly trying to sell drugs.
The Bears could not have known what Hurd was allegedly doing outside of work. The only “red flag” that could have tipped the Bears off to what Hurd may have been doing, is that he missed morning meetings on Thursday.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Bears Coach Lovie Smith spoke about how the team felt about Hurd’s arrest on major federal drug charges.
“There’s disappointment right now with our entire football team,” said Bears coach Lovie Smith, who indicated that the team became concerned Thursday morning when Hurd, 26, of Lake Forest, failed to show up for meetings. “He’s still a member of the Bears. No one has really had a chance to talk to Sam.”
Before Hurd was signed to the Bears this year, he never had any run-ins with the law or the NFL. He was a well-respected teammate, and someone that said, “I’m blessed, I make a good salary. I always will want to make more, but that comes with more years and more time.”
Hurd would show up to practice and work hard, and he helped his Bears team be just one game out of the NFC playoffs. Once Hurd left practice, there was no indication to Smith, the coaches or front office staff that he might be involved in anything that would break the law.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can suspend Hurd for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs if the Bears qualify for the postseason.
However, Goodell cannot impose any actions onto the Bears front office. They did nothing wrong in this situation and cannot be expected to be held responsible for Hurd.
From what we know now, Hurd was not selling drugs on Bears property. He was arrested outside of a high-end suburban steakhouse for allegedly trying to buy drugs from a Federal Informant.
The only way the Bears front office can be held in any way responsible is, if he sold drugs to front office members, coaches or players.
Until then, the Bears should not get punished by the NFL for the alleged horrible actions by their employee.
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