Will Aaron Hernandez Face NFL Discipline?
By Josh Sanchez
As all of the questions swirl around New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, many are wondering what the murder trial investigation will mean for his future in the league. If Hernandez is arrested like the reports indicate, he could be facing a lengthy suspension from the NFL.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter commented on the situation during an appearance on SportsCenter this morning.
“They’re clearly monitoring the situation and will do its own investigation and it will determine whether or not Aaron Hernandez violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, which might be the least of his concerns at this time,” Schefter said, via ESPN Boston.
“He does not have to be arrested or charged to be disciplined by the NFL. The NFL can do what it wants, as we’ve seen in the past with Ben Roethlisberger, who was not arrested or charged in either particular case that he was involved with, in Nevada and down in Georgia. And he was still suspended for six games and on appeal had that suspension reduced to four games.”
As long as Hernandez is in some way connected to the murder, which is seeming more likely by the report, you have to believe that the NFL will give him a lengthy suspension. If he is convicted of murder, that will be an entirely different ballgame and one that will all but spell the end of his professional career.
So will Hernandez eventually end up facing discipline from the league? We will have to wait and find out.
What we do know is that the Patriots strength on their roster has quickly turned in to a position of turmoil.