Keith Mumphery was drafted by the Texans in 2015 and played for them until 2017, when he was abruptly released after news broke that he had been banned from Michigan State’s campus over an accusation of sexual assault. Mumphery has always professed his innocence, sued Michigan State, and after a lawsuit settlement revoked that ban from campus, he’s asking for another chance in the NFL.
Mumphery said he knows the Texans felt, at the time, like they couldn’t have a player on their roster who had been accused of sexual assault, but he hopes that now the Texans or some other team will see things differently.
“It’s all love for the Texans,” Mumphery told the Houston Chronicle. “I understand why they released me, it was bad PR for them at that time. They gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. I understand the NFL is a business. I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. It’s something I always dreamed of as a little kid. I thank them for the opportunity. They saw something in me. I was the first person from my hometown to go to the NFL. Now, it’s about getting a second chance.”
Mumphery said he’s in good shape and ready to sign with any team that will have him.
“My body is young,” Mumphery said. “I don’t drink or smoke. I eat healthy. I have a 22-year-old’s body. I’m leaner and I have more mobility. I’m hungry now. I’m a lot better physically and athletically. I’m not the same me. I’m 100 times better.
Realistically, Mumphery’s chances aren’t good. He was a wide receiver averaging less than one catch per game, and now he’s been off the field for two years. But all it takes is one team to give him a chance on a 90-player roster.