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Published on 06/25/2008 at Wed Jun 25 14:10.
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Brandon Marshall and the NFL Personal Conduct Policy

Posted Wed Jun 25th by

Brandon Marshall and Mike Shanahan

I’ve been preparing for news of a suspension toward Brandon Marshall coming down from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league offices for a few weeks now. Today’s news of another arrest, from March 2008, only adds to my own personal belief that the league will be suspending Marshall for at least a few games in 2008.

This is just speculation, but it’s hard not to infer that consequences will soon follow Marshall’s irresponsible actions. The NFL’s revised Player Conduct Policy clearly states that conviction of a crime is not necessary before the league takes punitive action:

Repeat violations of the personal conduct policy will be dealt with aggressively, including discipline for repeat offenders even when the conduct itself has not yet resulted in a conviction of a crime.

This rap sheet, courtesy the Denver Post, documents everything that Marshall has done up to this point to warrant such action from the league. Four of the incidents stem directly from domestic disputes between he and his girfriend, Rasheedah Watley, while a fifth stems from a violent argument that took place between Marshall and his father. The sixth incident is the DUI arrest, for which Marshall has pleaded not guilty, and whose trial has been postponed until September.

Bill Williamson of ESPN reports that Marshall will be suspended for “at least a game or two” if he is convicted of his DUI arrest.

The only glimmer of hope Broncos fans may have on their side is a statement made by Marshall’s lawyer, Harvey Steinberg. The NFL and the Denver Broncos have both known about the arrest since the day it happened, and no action has been taken yet.

“Given the fact the NFL has known about it and I’m assuming has conducted its own investigation — we sent them a tremendous amount of information about this situation — that if something would have happened, I assumed it would have already happened,” Steinberg said.

A decision to file charges in the March case is still pending, but the NFL can rule independently of the public courts.

I’m not too comforted by Harvey’s comments. Frankly, I don’t want to be. It’s hard to say it, because I love football and my Broncos and want them to win so damn much, but I think Marshall’s earned a few games off. Let him think about what he’s done up to this point. Whether the charges were dropped or not, he still hit a woman, and that will never sit right with me.

On another note, it’s unfair to paint a picture as black and white as this. While Jay Cutler‘s comments saying “There’s always something with him right now,” are all the more clear, Marshall deserves to get some attention for the community service he does as well. Stories like this, where Marshall donated his time to coach local kids at a youth camp just last week. Hopefully the good, which so often goes unreported, outweighs the bad in Marshall’s life, and we can only hope that he really will pull himself together.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on the matter. Should Brandon Marshall be suspended, and if so, for how long?

Should Brandon Marshall be suspended?

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Brandon Marshall Arrested [BroncoTalk]
Marshall’s rap sheet [courtesy Denver Post]
Broncos Giving Back [DenverBroncos.com]

  • http://www.broncotalk.net Josh Temple

    I voted a NO, but mainly because a player shouldn’t be punished on the field unless a court of law has already found them guilty. If his DUI case does come out guilty, he should serve a small suspension. Any case where charges are dropped, a player should not be held accountable.

  • flbronc

    i think that the league should operate independently of the court system. people can get away with too much if they can hire a good attornet- and most pro athletes have the financial means to get a really good attorney. therefore seemingly small things just disappear from their records and charges get dropped or plead to a slap on the wrist.

    if the league determines that there is a personal conduct violation, it has every right to act on it. the nfl isnt the only business in the world that holds their employees to a set of standards higher than that of the general public. to me that is not a bad thing.

  • http://broncotalk.net Kyle

    It’s split right down the middle at this point. I thought it might be.

  • TJ

    I love B-Marsh. But any man that hits a woman deserves whatever punishment he gets.

  • Rob

    There is no question that Marshall should be suspended. I’m a die-hard Broncos fan, and I’ve seen a lot of players come and go. But the people you remember, the people you ROOT for, are those who have high moral character. Rod Smith, John Elway, Eddy Mac, Al Wilson…The list goes on and on.

    I think Marshall has a lot of talent, and there’s no question that losing him for a few games will hurt our team’s chances of competing for a playoff spot. But doesn’t it piss you off just a little bit that Marshall doesn’t think about those things when he reaches back and belts his girl across the face? MEMO TO BRANDON: If you’ve been arrested SEVERAL times for getting in fights with your girlfriend, don’t you think it’s time to find another girlfriend? These fights are no longer just costing you a night or two in jail. They are going to cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as costing your team a shot at winning it all.

  • http://www.broncomadness.com Garret Barnes

    Josh Temple is right. Innocent until proven guilty is what our country stands on. Maybe I am just saying that because I am not sure how we will make it without him. But I do hope that he is turning things around.

  • azbronco7

    are we really still believing that he cut is arm on an entertainment center now? It seems obvius to me that he and his gf got in another fight.

    and they are split up now, FYI, according to the denver post.

  • http://www.search-this.com mark

    One thing for sure, he’s losing jersey sales. I won’t be buying one now. Once you hit a woman your name’s not going on my back…

  • Patrick

    All of a sudden picking up all those recievers makes sense.

    I will continue to root for Brandon as long as he remains a Bronco. Hitting a woman is absolutely unacceptable but I guaran-damn-tee she’s gotten physical with him as well. When the woman you love attacks you physically it puts you in a very precarious position. An unfortunate situation altogether, hopefully he knows when to say when and finds some new snapper.

  • http://dadenverbroncos.blogspot.com/ Jon
  • DrewB

    Lets not forget he has NEVER been charged with abuse….Maybe we should wait for the facts to come out before we run Brandon out of town…Marshall contends she is only after money and seems to have the letters to back it up…wel shall see

    http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/25/broncos-marshall-blames-march-arrest-ex-girlfriend/

  • Rick

    Here we go again, another Raider in trouble again. Same old silver and black.

    oh my bad its Javon’s buddy!

  • Rick

    I voted 1 game….The Monday night opener

  • PAUL

    what happen to innocent tell proven guilty ! nfl does need to wait tell it goes thru the court system if the shoe was on the other foot you would want the nfl to wait ! only traider fans would luv to see him out a game ! the media should stay out of it its brandon and nfl issue not no one elses let the man live!!