Whenever a player finds trouble, or vice-versa, away from the field, a debate often emerges regarding whether the player will be punished by the team.
Technically, the NFL has exclusive jurisdiction over issues like DUI and marijuana possession. As a practical matter, teams can take action — especially if the player won’t be inclined to fight.
For the Chiefs, the question becomes whether any action will be taken against receiver Dwayne Bowe, who was arrested for marijuana possession during the bye week. Per a league source, it’s not known at this point whether the Chiefs will take action.
In 2010, the Jets came under heavy scrutiny after not taking aggressive action against receiver Braylon Edwards following a mid-week DUI arrest. Eventually, Edwards was benched for the first quarter of a Sunday night game against the Dolphins.
The Jets possibly acted in the face of intense local media pressure, and in light of Edwards’ off-field history. For the Chiefs, where everything is going very well amid a 9-0 start, there likely will be less, if any, pressure to act.
