The NFL just made it clear about they feel about the Cincinnati Bengals
Based on an initial report from Pro Football Talk, it's clear how the NFL feels about the Cincinnati Bengals. Earlier this week, a massive brawl broke out between the Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams during a joint practice. The lasting image of the brawl was Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald swinging a couple of […]
Based on an initial report from Pro Football Talk, it's clear how the NFL feels about the Cincinnati Bengals.
Earlier this week, a massive brawl broke out between the Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams during a joint practice.
The lasting image of the brawl was Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald swinging a couple of Bengals helmets — an action that would've gotten him suspended for multiple weeks had it happened during a regular season game (just ask Myles Garrett).
According to Pro Football Talk, the NFL has remained silent on the incident. And that's expected to remain the case.
Technically, the NFL can't suspend Donald for what happened during a practice. But they could try to suspend him under the league's personal conduct policy (what Donald did was essentially assault, so there's an argument there).
The NFL could also punish the Rams for not punishing Donald.
For now, the clear sense is that, while the Rams possibly will fine Aaron Donald (or at least ask him politely to try not to do it again), the team won’t suspend him. The team likely won’t and the league apparently won’t, even though most media and fans seem to recognize that Donald deserves to sit for at least a game for inherently dangerous behavior that somehow didn’t result in someone getting injured.
Just the fact that the NFL hasn't said anything publicly about the incident is bad enough. It shows that they have no desire to protect the defending AFC champions.
If something like that happened to a team quarterbacked by Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or even Patrick Mahomes, you can best believe that the NFL would've been quick to make a public statement admonishing Donald and the Rams.
I don't know what Joe Burrow and the Bengals will have to do to win the favor of the NFL. An improbable Super Bowl run that captivated the nation apparently wasn't enough.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
