On the surface, it appears that the NFL has been dragging its feet regarding the allegation from Delicia Cordon that Bills running back LeSean McCoy instigated the brutal attack on her that happened during a home invasion in July. However, the league apparently has no choice at this point but to wait.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the league has decided to defer to local authorities, who continue to investigate the situation. The league would act only after McCoy is formally charged, or after the official investigation concludes with no action taken against him.
That’s consistent with what the league has done in past cases. For example, the 2016-17 investigation regarding Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott began after local authorities cleared him. Also, the 2014 investigation regarding former Ravens running back Ray Rice began after the criminal proceedings had resolved.
So if the NFL hasn’t interviewed Cordon (and indeed it hasn’t), it’s because the NFL is trying to avoid interfering with the active criminal investigation. That’s consistent with the language of the Personal Conduct Policy: “Whenever the league office becomes aware of a possible violation of the Personal Conduct Policy, it will undertake an investigation, the timing and scope of which will be based upon the particular circumstances of the matter. Any such investigation may be conducted by NFL Security, independent parties, or by a combination of the two. In cases that are also being investigated by law enforcement, the league will work to cooperate with and to avoid any conflict or interference with the law enforcement proceedings.” (Emphasis added.)
Local law enforcement officials sounded off on Friday, following Cordon’s press conference. "[W]e have encountered numerous obstacles by all involved, and it has hindered our work not assisted,” the Milton, Georgia Police Department said in a statement. “Detectives have been stonewalled or provided conflicting accounts of what occurred on July 10 . . . the home belonging to Mr. LeSean McCoy.” Authorities also said that McCoy “may have had personal items stolen from the home during the July 10, 2018 home invasion,” but that he “has not been cooperative in the investigation, despite requests by Milton Police detectives to Mr. McCoy’s attorneys.”
The fact that McCoy isn’t cooperating in an investigation regarding an invasion and robbery of a house he owns does little to bolster the notion that he was a victim and not a perpetrator. But that’s just part of what the local authorities currently is trying to figure out.
Whenever the investigation results in charges or an official closing of the case, the NFL presumably will initiate its investigation engine. And at that point McCoy will have to cooperate, or face very real consequences to his ongoing NFL employment.