Cedric Benson and Union Speaks Out on NFL Suspension
Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals running back, is working to appeal a three-game suspension stemming from an arrest that occurred during the NFL lockout, and some are angered by it.
Andrew Whitworth, Bengals’ union representative, has openly expressed being in opposition to the NFL’s decision to suspend Benson and others in similar situations.
“I was very shocked. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me,” Whitworth said. “I feel like it’s the wrong decision, and I also believe the union let those eight guys down. I don’t feel like that was fair. To me, if I was told that was a make-or-break, I would have said that’s a make-or-break deal, that we were going to sell out eight guys to have an agreement.”
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The eight guys Whitworth spoke about were the players who the NFL Players Association decided to discipline out of the 33 who got into trouble during the lockout.
The Washington Post reported that the NYPA chose to discipline the eight individuals, including Benson, who had been in trouble for multiple offenses.
“Now, I don’t think that them doing stuff is OK,” Whitworth said, according to Washington Post. “But if no one else can get punished, they shouldn’t be able to, either.”
Benson and his legal team have been working to challenge the NFL’s conduct policy, claiming that his legal issues occurred when there was a lockout and he was not employed by the league. The running back’s legal troubles took place in July when he was charged with misdemeanor assault against stemming from an altercation with an old roommate in Texas.
Benson said he was not made privy to certain information about the new collective bargaining agreement.
"There were some things in the CBA that we were not made aware of, which is really no surprise," Benson told AP. "That kind of falls on the (players' association). You would think they're here to support you and have your back -- that's what a union does. I guess in my case, it's different."
