Kareem Hunt returns to Cleveland under new circumstances – The Cauldron

By Nicholas Schwartz, Freshman Health Sciences major

The Cleveland Browns have stirred a lot of attention this year in the NFL. From star receiver Jarvis Landry to the up and coming legend Baker Mayfield, there is a lot of work being done on the Browns’ roster.  

Their latest addition, however, comes with a little more baggage than the others.  The player I’m referring to is Kareem Hunt. The reason there is so much stir behind this Ohio native’s return home is in regards to the last time he was in Cleveland.

On Nov. 30, he was accused of assault after a suspicious video surfaced on the internet. The video, footage from a hotel security camera, showed Hunt pushing two people to the ground and kicking a woman. This is the reason he was a free agent in the first place, seeing as his original team, the Kansas City Chiefs, released him shortly after the video was made public.

Three months and no charges later, Hunt was picked up by the same city that this case had taken place in.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the accusations, seeing that charges were never placed on him, even after the security footage was released.

One question still remains though: Because no charges were placed on Hunt, is it disreputable or is it fair to sign him?

He is an outstanding running back and has proven himself as an NFL player this year, much like our own Baker Mayfield.   

All I can say as a bystander to this is that, as a professional, he should be given the chance to mature, as everyone who makes a mistake is. As the Chiefs themselves said, he is young, and he will make dumb decisions. It is not about what people do wrong but how they will recover from it.

But now, not only is he a native of Cleveland, but a representative. He should be able to act as such.

As a player, Hunt is without a doubt an amazing addition to the Cleveland Browns.  Where I find fault is in the old adage, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” I feel this applies to the running back position here in Cleveland.

As we know, Baker made his debut alongside fellow rookie Nick Chubb.  Chubb has been a dependable running back and has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to keep up with this ever-improving team.  I see no need to bring on Hunt.

I do understand the potency of star power on a sports team, but I do not see why Chubb single handedly can’t work his way to that point.  Chubb has proven himself, and if I were him, I would almost find it insulting if Hunt came in to play in my position.

Now, I am by no means saying that Hunt is better than Chubb or vice versa, I am simply examining the human element.  As Chubb, I would be confused as to where I went wrong in the last season to warrant bringing on a plan B of sorts.

For Hunt, I would be sure to keep my nose clean here in the city.  As a Northeast Ohio native, his behavior reflects on the Cleveland area as a whole.

Now as a ambassador of the city, the pressure that is on him is much more than it’s been in the past, and all eyes will be on him both on and off the field.