BREAKING: NFL Announces Decision On Davante Adams’ Punishment For Shoving Photographer After Chiefs Game
The NFL announced their decision regarding whether to punish Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams for an incident that occurred during a Monday Night Football game from the 2022 season.
Davante Adams shoved a photographer
Video captured Adams shoving a photographer following the Raiders’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Adams was frustrated walking off the field after his performance contributed to the loss. Per Wisconsin Sports Heroics, Adams apologized for shoving the cameraperson:
Davante Adams offered a half-hearted apology to the cameraman in the locker room. According to Frank Schwab of Yahoo.com, Adams said in an interview following the shove that he reacted in that way in part before the cameraman’s actions:
“Before I answer anything else, I want to apologize to the guy — some guy running off the field, and he ran, jumped in front of me when we’re coming off the field and I bumped into him, kind of pushed him and I think he ended up on the ground,” Adams said.
“I wanted to say sorry to him for that. That was frustration mixed with him running, literally running in front of me, and I shouldn’t have responded that way. But that’s how I initially responded so I want to apologize to him for that.”
Per an ESPN article, the Kansas City municipal court announced in June of 2023 that they were dropping an assault charge against Adams. However, the photographer brought a civil suit against Adams. The NFL continued its investigation into the incident.
The NFL announced its decision on the matter
According to Tom Pelissero with the NFL Network, the league chose not to punish Adams for the incident. The matter is now closed.
The NFL informed #Raiders WR Davante Adams he won’t be disciplined for shoving a photographer following a 2022 game in Kansas City, per sources.
Prosecutors dismissed a misdemeanor assault charge against Adams last summer, but the league probe remained open. Now, it’s closed. pic.twitter.com/Zxa0CMUWqG
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 11, 2024
The league is setting a dangerous precedent
The NFL is setting a dangerous precedent for journalists and media members who cover their sport. At a time when articles come out almost weekly of domestic issues with members affiliated with the league, those running the sport have decided not to punish something we all saw on camera.
Furthermore, shoving the cameraman was something Adams admitted to on camera.
What’s to stop players from pushing people around on the sidelines in the future? The league has decided photographers covering their games are nothing more than punching bags on the sideline.
Raiders Remain Interested In Re-Signing RB Josh Jacobs
Jacobs is a pending free agent, something with less lucrative implications for running backs than many other positions. The 2022 rushing champion is set to negotiate with new power brokers compared to last offseason, given the dismissal of Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels and their replacement with Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco. Ziegler expressed a desire to re-engage in talks in 2024, and that sentiment appears to exist with the new regime.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Raiders are interested in exploring a Jacobs deal, though he cautions the team is prepared to do so “depending on the price.” Jacobs missed the final four games of the season, but he remained a key member of the team’s offense when on the field. He received 20 or more carries on five occasions in 2023, garnering added attention after Pierce took over as interim head coach.
As Fowler notes, Jacobs was a talking point while Pierce and the Raiders were conducting their offensive coordinator search. That process resulted in Luke Getsy being tapped for the role. His time in Chicago saw him oversee a run-based attack, and having Jacobs in the fold would give the Raiders’ ground game valuable stability. The Alabama alum will be 26 by the start of next season, and he has logged at least 217 carries in each of his five NFL seasons.
Jacobs’ workload could be a factor working against his market value, coupled with the overall landscape of the RB position. Fellow veterans Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler and Tony Pollard are among the backs set to hit the open market next month. Jacobs averaged a career-high 4.9 yards per carry in 2022, but that figure dropped to 3.5 this season. He finished with 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns, matching the yards-per-rush mark as the lowest totals of his career.
The franchise tag is projected to cost roughly $12.4MM for running backs this season, but a second Jacobs tag would cost 120% of his 2023 earnings. Vegas would thus be required to spend at least $14.16MM on the two-time Pro Bowler, a figure which would likely outweigh his value on a multi-year agreement with the Raiders or an outside team. Coming off a down season in 2023, his market will be worth watching closely as the team contemplates its first offseason with new faces on the sidelines and in the front office.
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