Video recently taken shows Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool getting himself involved in a fight at a Southern California bar.
First reported by TMZ, video shows Claypool allegedly kicking someone in the face while they were down on the ground.
Multiple sources told TMZ that Claypool did not start the fight and was defending a friend.
Sure, Claypool should have stayed out of it, but if you or I were in that situation, we also may have reacted that way, who knows?
Yes, Claypool has a spotlight on him, we aren’t reporting fights 20 somethings have on the South Side every weekend, but Claypool is only 22 and the incident ending without any arrests.
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So if you’re one of those old-school Steelers fans who don’t have time for that kind of behavior, you better look in the mirror before you start calling Claypool to be cut, fined…whatever.
As pointed out by Fan Morning Show co-host Colin Dunlap, a certain Steelers legend was accused of doing something a lot worse than getting into a bar fight.
Back in January of 1982, Hall of Fame Linebacker Jack Lambert was accused of ignoring “’his duty as a citizen’ by going to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl and ignoring a subpoena to testify in the murder trial of a reputed drug dealer.
The prosecuting attorney in the case wanted a bench warrant for Lambert’s arrest because he could provide “crucial testimony” in the trail.
That request was denied since there was no way he would get back from Hawaii in time.
Lambert reportedly fought the shooting victim at a bar (sound familiar) back in May 1979, four months before the victim’s death.
The prosecuting attorney said a subpoena was delivered to the Steelers’ offices before Lambert was signing a new contract.
Lambert reportedly was willing to testify at first but the prosecuting attorney said that the Steelers never delivered the subpoena to him.
In addition, the attorney, James Lee, said that Lambert’s attorney told him he was “reluctant” to have his client testify because “it would have an adverse effect on product endorsements.”
With Lambert not there, Lees agreed that he would not refer to the alleged fight during the trail.
Does that make Lambert a horrible person? No. He was 29 at the time, and his attorney may have got in his ear about the endorsements or maybe told him his testimony wouldn’t have affected the decision much.
The drug dealer, William Prosdocimo, was sentenced to two life sentences for murder.
Lambert isn’t judged for this mistake. He’s highly regarded as one of the best players in Steelers history and went on to have a career as a Game Warden.
So pump the breaks before you start calling Claypool a bum. Sure his comments about the Browns getting “smacked” by Kansas City and this fight aren’t things that would make a mother proud, but it’s not the end of the world.
Oh, and one time defensive tackle Ernie Holmes shot at a police helicopter injuring an officer. Holmes was in a bad way psychologically at the time and was sentenced to 5-years probation. After the incident he would go on to get the starting tackle job.