Former Bears GM: NFL Teams Hid ‘Hundreds’ of Domestic Violence Incidents
In an interview with USA Today Sports, ex-Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said that during his 30 years in the NFL, teams refrained from disciplining players in ‘hundreds’ of domestic violence incidents.
USA Today Sports’ Josh Peter wrote Thursday that Angelo said when teams found out about an episode, they would ask “is everybody OK?…How are they doing?’’ and then “just move on.’’
“We knew it was wrong,’’ Angelo told USA Today Sports. “…For whatever reason, it just kind of got glossed over. I’m no psychiatrist, so I can’t really get into what that part of it is. I’m just telling you how I was. I’ve got to look at myself first. And I was part of that, but I didn’t stand alone.’’
Angelo, the GM of the Bears from 2001-11, said “his perspective changed when the infamous Ray Rice video surfaced, showing the star running back punching his fiancé in the face in an elevator and causing her to lose consciousness.’’
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bears said in a written statement that they “were surprised by Jerry’s comments and do not know what he is referring to.’’
Angelo was the director of player personnel for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1987-2001, and also worked as a scout for the New York Giants from 1982-86 and the Dallas Cowboys in 1980.
In the past month, the NFL and league commissioner Roger Goodell have come under scrutiny for their handling of recent violent incidents involving their players, including episodes involving Rice, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, and Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy.
Rice was released by the Ravens and is currently under indefinite suspension from the league, while Peterson and Hardy were placed on the NFL’s exempt list.
Owners such as Robert Kraft of the Patriots, Jerry Jones of the Cowboys, Woody Johnson of the Jets, and John Mara of the Giants have come out in support of Goodell over the past month.
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