Indianapolis, IN (92.3 The Fan) – When the Cleveland Brows signed Kareem Hunt there were a lot of questions from a multitude of angles, including is Cleveland really the best place for Hunt to rehab his image considering it’s where he’s gotten into the most trouble?
Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens believes, yes, it is.
“It could be in Kansas City, Cleveland, that doesn’t matter,” Kitchens said Wednesday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “In a lot of ways you know it’s more important for Kareem to make those advances and to evolve into a better person in his hometown. That’s where he’s going to do the most good. There’s some good that can come out of this.
“We never justify anything that’s happened. but there’s some good that can come out of this if he keeps evolving and keeps doing the things he’s supposed to do to become a better person. And we’ll worry about the football stuff later. But right now we’re in the Kareem Hunt business of making him a better person.”
Kitchens is hopeful that their efforts with Hunt will have a lasting impact on his life, beyond football.
“It’s our job to support him to be a better person,” Kitchens said. “Listen, at some point football is going to end for all these guys, and it’s our job as coaches and as people and as mentors to give them something to do in a good nature the 50 years after the fact that their football careers have ended. So sometimes coaches, they’re player-forming and afterwards they’re forgotten about. Well that’s not going to be the case.
“We’re in the people business to make him a better person and give him the resources and the support system that he needs to become a better person.”
Hunt is dynamic as a football player.
He led the NFL in rushing with 1,327 yards as a rookie in 2017 and he averages 4.7 yards per carry to go with his 15 rushing touchdowns in just 27 games. He also has 79 catches for 833 yards and 10 more TDs as a receiver on the resume.
Off the field, Hunt is a risk.
Kitchens and the Browns know it and they understand the harsh criticism that has followed the signing earlier this month.
“Any time there's social issues involved, you have to factor in the fact it might not be accepted in a positive nature,” Kitchens said. “In saying that, you can have the biggest growth, too.”
The NFL is currently investigating three off the field incidents involving Hunt, including the one a year ago that took place at the Metropolitan at The 9 in downtown Cleveland in which he is captured on video hitting and kicking a woman during an altercation that broke out in a hallway.
Hunt faces discipline from the league office, but how stiff that punishment will be is anyone’s guess.
“I’m not sure about the suspension thing,” Kitchens said. “That’s a league issue they have to talk about.
“I’ve talked to Kareem on several occasions. He’s very remorseful about what he’s done. Now it’s our job to move forward and support him and get him to a place as an individual and as a person to give him the opportunity, a second chance per se. The second chance is not now. He’s got a lot of work to do between now and that time the second chance comes. We’ll see how that goes. Right now we’re day to day and just trying to get him, to offer him support where he needs to become a better person to get him eventually on the field.”
At some point, Hunt will suit up for the Browns and how he fits into their plans remains to be seen.
Duke Johnson Jr. figures to eventually be the odd man out, but Kitchens isn't ready to go there yet.
“We’re always looking for good football players and Duke’s a good football player,” Kitchens said. “We can’t ever have enough good football players. We’re always looking to get better as a team and that goes down to each individual position.”
As for the impact the addition of Hunt will have on Nick Chubb, who is coming off an impressive 2018 season that saw him set a rookie franchise record with 996 yards and a combined 10 touchdowns – including a franchise-record 92-yard TD run, Kitchens doesn’t believe much will change.
“Nick Chubb's our running back,” Kitchens said. “We're always looking for good football players to come in and compete. We like competitive situations, and, of course, that'll be a competitive situation. Nick Chubb's not going to back down from any kind of competitive situation. That's why Nick Chubb's a great football player and a great Cleveland Brown.”
The hope is that Kitchens will eventually be able to say the same for Hunt, on and off the field.
