Report: NFL told Chiefs to stop pursuing Kareem Hunt video

How did TMZ once again obtain and publish a video that the NFL and team claimed they had not seen and were unable to obtain? That’s been a major question asked in response to TMZ publishing the infamous Kareem Hunt video on Friday.

According to one report, the defense for the Kansas City Chiefs is that they were told by the league to stop trying to obtain the video.

The Athletic’s Nate Taylor wrote an excellent article full of details about Hunt’s final day with the Kansas City Chiefs. In his article, Taylor says the Chiefs were told by the NFL to stop pursuing it.

From Taylor’s article:

The Chiefs, according to multiple league sources, knew video evidence of the altercation existed, but they were told by the NFL to stop pursuing it later in February once the league began its investigation. The league, however, couldn’t obtain the video.

That detail will only hurt the worsening public perception of the league.

The NFL says they tried to obtain the video from the hotel but were told it was not company policy to release it to anyone but law enforcement. They said they tried to obtain the video from Cleveland police but were denied. Cleveland police also says they did not see the video.

If the NFL had so much trouble obtaining the video as they claim, why would they tell the Chiefs not to pursue it? Wouldn’t they want the help? Once again, like with the Ray Rice situation, these details make it seem like the league was trying to avoid another negative PR hit from an ugly incident, which happened anyway.

Taylor’s article included a few other notable pieces of information. He says Hunt did not tell the Chiefs about the incident after it happened, leaving the team to learn about it through media reports. Hunt also reportedly told the team he did not do anything.

In their statement after cutting Hunt, the Chiefs said they were doing so in part because the running back was not truthful about his altercation with the woman in February. Hunt was shown on video shoving and kicking a woman but was never charged by police. Two police reports were filed — one from parties representing each side of the incident — and neither report mentioned the kick.

The Chiefs apparently believe Hunt will be signed by another NFL team once his discipline from the league is sorted out.