It was interesting witnessing, in real time, the Twitter mob calling for prayers for Mr. Hamlin. These are the same people who have no problem verbally assaulting any praying Christian who opposes any of their warped agendas. Yet now, praying is a good thing, in fact ESPN devoted many camera angles to Bills players praying for their teammate, as if this is an isolated, solemn event.

As it turns out, to avoid rupturing the fragile sensitivities of some viewers, liberal networks immediately end their broadcasts and never show what happens after almost every game: players from both teams, together, kneeling in prayer and giving thanks they made it through another Sunday relatively whole.

While serving on the USS Midway, I remember two catastrophic, peacetime events with loss of life. In each case, the carrier conducted searches for survivors before continuing on with the mission. And that pales in comparison to those fighting on the ground who witness their buddies being horrifically injured and/or killed. No one on Twitter called for the suspension of battles.

Did anyone on social media call for the suspension of the Afghanistan airlift after the bombing? You know, so that fellow soldiers could mourn? No. As in countless examples, our soldiers carried on their mission and received little genuine concern for their understandable mental health trauma.

In fact very few on Twitter even care that, to this day, we have veterans who are homeless and in need of financial assistance. (In case you wish to donate to a more-than-worthy and effective group that helps veterans in need, please go to Code of Vets.)

But I was dutifully reminded that there is a difference between war and entertainment.

Thanks for the tip.

Yes, there IS a difference. Soldiers are compensated at a very low rate of pay considering the possible risks. Professional football players are offered millions of dollars for their services and unlike soldiers, and can opt out of lucrative contracts any time. Athletes acknowledge the risks and most choose to take the money and assume those risks. Those who will remind us about the difference are clearly acknowledging that those who entertain us are more important than those who keep the nation safe, and let’s also not forget those underpaid police officers whom the Twits are quick to vilify.

As a matter of consistent disclosure, I am a lifelong New England Patriots fan and was watching the Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game because the outcome has a profound effect on our final game of the season, which just happens to be this coming Sunday in Buffalo. Most of those who were commenting on Twitter after the incident were not watching the game, merely reacted to what was “trending”, saw and reacted to #DamarHamlin, and to show what good people they are, decided to donate to his charity that provides Christmas gifts to underprivileged children.

When the game was officially postponed, a GoFundMe for his charity “Chasing M’s” started circulating through social media.

The online toy drive fundraiser was started by Hamlin in 2020 with the then-goal of raising $2,500. Since his collapse, fans have raised more than $3 million as of Tuesday morning.
— WGN 9, 1/3/23

Charity is a good thing, when sincere. Seeing how we’re over a week removed from Christmas, where the hell were these benefactors before Mr. Hamlin’s injury?

As usual, it’s not all about the cause but about participants feeling good about themselves. Again, most of those commenting on social media were not watching the game as it was unfolding and know virtually nothing about the sport, team and players. One Tweet proved that point from one of the platform’s most notorious attention whores.

While making a point to tell others to belatedly donate to the toy drive, Alyssa Milano couldn’t even spell the man’s name correctly. What does that say about her knowledge of the topic and those involved?

There have been many sensational injuries in professional sports over the years, so this sudden concern for putting players first is so fake, especially coming from sports and some social media users. On any given Sunday, local and national sports segments highlight the best “hits” of the day and on YouTube, there are hundreds of video compilations of football collisions and hockey knockouts. In not one of those examples has a game been suspended, no matter how horrific the injury and emotional distress clearly displayed by the players and fans in attendance.

Look up the deadly Dale Earnhardt Daytona 500 crash, the football hit that left Darryl Stingley a quadriplegic, the infamous Joe Theismann leg break, goaltender Clint Malarchuk whose carotid artery and jugular veins were slashed during a hockey game, or the more recent Gordon Hayward ankle-snap heard through the stadium that left players and basketball fans in attendance visually disturbed.

In none of those cases was the race or games suspended or cancelled. In Earnhardt’s, Stingley’s, Malarchuk’s and Theisman’s case, the Internet as we now know it did not yet exist. In Hayward’s case, users on social media generously shared the video of him in justifiable agony. Teammates, in the latter cases, composed themselves as professionals and played on. And as the life-is-more-important game is being played, let’s not leave out the fan who was seriously injured by shards of a broken bat at Fenway Park. The game was resumed and completed.

It’s not clear if the Mensa class in the NFL front office and the Players Association thought through the ramifications of this precedent-setting decision to “suspend” the Bills-Bengals game. This didn’t just affect the two teams on the field and the suddenly-triggered on social media.

There are still five teams in the American Football Conference who, going into the last week of the season, have a chance at making the playoffs and last night’s game could’ve made a difference on whose season may have officially ended, and who will have to face who on Wild Card Weekend and seeding. The questions going forward are is last night’s game going to be replayed, will it be “erased”, and how fair will that be to all the affected teams? Anyone on social media even hinting at these very valid questions was mercilessly descended on like flies on shit.

And lastly, many on Twitter sought to shut down and threaten to “cancel” anyone who brought up anything about Hamlin’s vaccination and/or booster status. Over the last few years, many of the things we were told to ignore as “conspiracy theories” turned out to be true. Given the documented increase in Myocarditis in young, healthy vaccinated males and the many videos showing players dropping on the field, asking if Hamlin was recently boosted is a valid question. Most NFL players were required to get vaccinated and boosted and Buffalo’s own superstar receiver Cole Beasley missed all of last season because he refused to get vaccinated. He’s only played in a few games this season so that topic is even more pertinent within the Bills organization.

So have we now reached that pinnacle moment in professional football where estrogen has overtaken testosterone and emotions have supplanted the toughness the NFL promotes? Is any game now subject to suspension when a player gets hurt and who decides how bad that injury will be to stop a game? Other sports that have longer seasons may survive such instances but these decisions in a sport like football will have ripple effects that can impact teams and careers.

And to have it dictated by the sports-ignorant on social media would be the biggest travesty of all.

UPDATE

Now that the emotion has begun to subside, reality has now set in and the aforementioned precedent has now become the real issue.

Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn was not happy with playoff proposals approved by the NFL’s competition committee on Thursday night. She urged other members of the committee to vote against the approved scenarios in a memo obtained by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham.

“The proper process for making rule change (sic) is in the off-season,” Blackburn wrote. “It is not appropriate to put teams in a position to vote for something that may introduce bias, favor one team over another or impact their own situation when the vote takes place immediately before the playoffs.”

Blackburn’s main issue is that the traditional standard of seeding in this scenario is getting thrown out in the middle of a season.
— Sports Illustrated, 1/6/23

Maybe those who demanded I either take down or rewrite the headline of this post, now take the time to reread what I wrote and maybe see that this wasn’t meant to be insensitive to the injury of Damar Hamlin just because I didn’t join the chorus of emotion over ramifications. The decision made last Monday night soothed the immediacy of emotions of the broadcasters and social media and created the predicted clusterfuck.

The Buffalo Bills are officially out of contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, as the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes trounced the Las Vegas Raiders in a 31-13 win at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday to secure home-field advantage and a first-round bye.
— Sports Illustrated, 1/7/23

It turns out, the cancellation had everything to do with how a long-fought season would end for one deserving team, clearly screwed by those in the NFL and NFLPA who should have had leveled heads at a time when they were sorely needed.

The cancellation helped the league avoid late-season logistical nightmares. As for the Bengals, playing 16 games instead of 17 did guarantee them the AFC North title, but it also meant that they no longer had a shot at the No. 1 seed.
— Sporting News, 1/8/23

What would happen in the days to follow was never considered and that’s why we find ourselves where we are now.

But because of one game, many are bitching about the league’s overtime rules for all the wrong reasons.

It’s time for the NFL to change its overtime rules
Chiefs-Bills shows why NFL must change unfair overtime rule
Overtime rule undermines NFL’s best weekend ever
NFL needs to change its overtime format
Chiefs-Bills Leaves NFL Fans Wanting to Toss Out Overtime Rules: Data Viz
Chiefs-Bills masterpiece decided on a coin flip shows NFL’s overtime rule is awful and must be fixed
Chiefs-Bills Thriller Sparks Debate: Is It Time To Overhaul Overtime?
Bills Notebook: NFL’s overtime rules fall under the spotlight after classic playoff game
NFL overtime rule under attack after Kansas City walks off on first-possession TD
Even winning coach Andy Reid questions NFL’s overtime setup
Patrick Mahomes leads Chiefs to THRILLING overtime playoff win over Bills – but fans demand change to ‘terrible’ coin toss rule that ‘decides the winner’

Spare me the “it wasn’t fair” whining as scoring-first-because-of-winning-the-coin-flip is of no documented clear advantage.

Under the current OT rules, there have been 163 OT games. Teams that won the OT coin toss have a record of 86-67-10 in those games (won 52.8 pct of the games)
— Ian Rapoport, 1/24/22

The NFL overtime rules are quite clear and both teams knew what was expected from the onset.

Both teams must have the opportunity to possess the ball once during the extra period, unless the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its initial possession, in which case it is the winner, or if the team kicking off to start the overtime period scores a safety on the receiving team’s initial possession, in which case the team that kicked off is the winner. If a touchdown is scored, the game is over, and the Try is not attempted.

If the team that possesses the ball first does not score on its initial possession, the team next scoring by any method shall be the winner.

If the team that possesses the ball first scores a field goal on its initial possession, the other team (the second team) shall have the opportunity to possess the ball.
— National Football League, RULE 16. Overtime Procedures

The “Overtime Procedures” references “teams”. Let’s be more specific.

After the coin toss, it’s up to one team’s defense to stop the opposing team’s offense. In this case, it was up to the Buffalo Bills’ defense to stop Mahomes and the Chiefs from scoring a touchdown. Had they done so and either forced them to either kick a field goal or punt, Josh Allen and the Bills would get the ball and an opportunity to either kick a field goal or score a touchdown and win.

The overtime rules didn’t deny Allen an opportunity to get the ball; his defense did and it was obvious why. They were gassed. During the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, both teams’ defenses were visually exhausted giving a clear advantage to both teams’ dynamic offenses. That’s why the NFL rule for overtime (since 2010) is the way it is as opposed to making them play a whole 15 minute overtime period where the play would deteriorate even more and possibly risk player injury.

Maybe it was inevitable that we’d have such an exciting game end the way it did, but again it wasn’t the rules that beat the Buffalo Bills. It was their defense’s inability to stop the Chiefs’ offense. Had the Bills won the coin flip, the counter scenario could have happened as the Chiefs’ defense was exhausted as well. Either way, it’s not about making sure each team’s offense has a fair chance to score. The defense also has a job to do.

Buffalo’s defense ran out of gas and there’s no remedy in the rule book for that. Had New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s team lost in a similar manner, he would have said “We didn’t do our job” and not bitch and moan about the rules that both teams knew going into the game.

Take the kneejerk emotion out of it and you have to conclude the outcome was fair.

Deal with it.

Disclaimer: I am a New England Patriots fan and have no dog in this fight.

This may be a very hard concept for most of the #woke to absorb but the National Football League is not a progressive nonprofit that doesn’t need to show positive results. The NFL is a business, and in keeping this as simple as possible, it’s a league of 32 teams and only one can attain the ultimate goal which is winning a Super Bowl.

Then again, that may change. Stand by….

There has been much dismay by the activist left that no team, since the Baltimore Ravens in 2018, has offered Colin Kaepernick an opportunity. It’s not solely because of his Black Lives Matter activism, but because of his on-the-field numbers just prior to his being cut from the San Francisco 49ers; numbers probably few (if any) supporters of Kaepernick could tell you off hand.

There is also a major issue with any team that even makes mention of possibly acquiring Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick was supposed to work out for NFL teams at the Falcons’ facility earlier this year, but after disagreements over various aspects of the session, Kaepernick moved the workout to an Atlanta-area high school.

Despite looking good in the session, Kaepernick wasn’t offered a contract by any NFL team.
— Yahoo Sports, 6/28/20

For shits and giggles, let’s just say the Atlanta Falcons signed Kaepernick. Do you really think he’d be expected to sit on the bench behind Matt Ryan? No way, José. The team would be pressured into starting Kaepernick which means Matt Ryan would be looking for a new home, and there would be teams who’d offer him tasty contracts within days.

Two weeks ago, Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said Kaepernick is on the team’s workout list. With team facilities shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s unclear when the Chargers might be able to bring in Kaepernick.

“Unclear” as this is not the greatest of situations seeing how the Chargers picked Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft to replace Philip Rivers, and also have a proven starter in Tyrod Taylor.

“I haven’t spoken with Colin, not sure where he’s at as far in his career, what he wants to do, but Colin definitely fits the style of quarterback for the system that we’re going to be running. I’m very confident and happy with the three quarterbacks that I have but you can never have too many people waiting on the runway,” Lynn said, via ESPN. The Chargers currently have Tyrod Taylor, No. 6 overall pick Justin Herbert and Easton Stick in their quarterback room.
— NBC Sports, 6/17/20

A very safe way of Coach Lynn’s saying the safe thing: he wouldn’t mind having another option… (but he doesn’t really need Kaepernick).

First round picks are seldom told they’re going to be benched when they get that call on Draft Day. If Kaepernick started and is moderately successful, Herbert may wish to look elsewhere for playing time resulting in a wasted first round pick by Los Angeles. Tyrod Taylor would be the most logical starter for Los Angeles while Herbert learned and wasn’t thrown into that infamous rookie trial-by-fire that’s maimed many careers.

And again, if Kaepernick doesn’t play well, Coach Lynn would be well aware of the social activist backlash if he did what most teams tend to do to a player who’s not performing: sit him down on the bench and replace him with someone who may do better.

Kaepernick visited the Seattle Seahawks in the spring of 2017 after he opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers, making him a free agent. Head coach Pete Carroll’s reasoning for not signing him at the time was that the Seahawks felt he was a starter and they already had one in Russell Wilson.
— ESPN, 6/11/20

Here’s the reality of any Colin Kaepernick situation in the NFL

Most teams already have a starting quarterback, and yes, some are better than others. But if a team signs Kaepernick, it’ll be demanded by forces outside of a team front office, that he be the starting quarterback for Week 1 and the head coach’s ability to choose his quarterback will be circumvented by the sports-ignorant in social media.

But bored sports writers with no sports to report are just left to their musings and speculation.

Colin Kaepernick could help five NFL teams if they’d give him contract

Pittsburgh Steelers
Franchise staple Ben Roethlisberger turned 38 in March, and likely doesn’t have many starter-quality years left in the NFL. Kaepernick is six years younger — and with Big Ben coming off an injury — the ex-49er could help keep the offense afloat for Pittsburgh in case Roethlisberger can’t return to his previous form.

New England Patriots
This likely would provide Kaepernick the best opportunity to be a starter right away. Franchise icon and proverbial GOAT QB Tom Brady departed this offseason in free agency, and many expect coach Bill Belichick to hand the keys over to untested young quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Kaepernick at the very least could give Stidham some stiff competition in training camp, if not win the starting job outright.

Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have dealt with ineptitude at the quarterback position for many years. Gardner Minshew didn’t exactly set the NFL on fire in his rookie season, but 21 touchdowns with just six interceptions over 14 games did inspire some hope in Jacksonville.

Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford only played eight games in 2019 after breaking bones in his back. Stafford reportedly is 100 percent recovered from the injury, but has taken plenty of shots over his 11-year career. Trade rumors swirled around Stafford early last season, and he even put his $6.5 million Michigan home on the market in May. Kaepernick would be a nice insurance policy for Stafford, and even has a similarly powerful throwing arm.

Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan did win the NFL MVP just four years ago, but he hasn’t returned to near that level since offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan departed for the 49ers. Ryan’s numbers have declined, and he led the NFL after being sacked 48 times in 2019. Although Matt Schaub has been a serviceable backup, including throwing for 460 yards in his lone start last season, he’s 38 years old and likely isn’t much of an upgrade over Kap, if at all.

Kaepernick’s added athletic ability also could bring a different element to Atlanta’s offense in case of Ryan’s absence.
— NBC Sports, 6/6/20

Neither Pittsburgh nor New England, especially with their respective exposure to drama queen Antonio Brown, are going to want to bring off-the-field issues into their cultures. Both do have quarterback issues but both franchises also tend to land on their feet, not initially on a knee. Detroit is oh-so-slowly becoming New England West, so again, paying for drama unrelated to the field won’t be easily considered. Atlanta won’t bench Matt Ryan for the unknown Kaepernick is today.

Jacksonville is used to mediocrity so they may be a possibility. The problem is most of those pushing for Kaepernick’s return couldn’t tell you what conference Jacksonville is in, don’t buy game tickets, and wouldn’t know if the Sunday games are on CBS or Fox Sports. From a business standpoint, there’ll be as much monetary return if Kaepernick plays poorly as if he plays well and that’s not a good reason for giving any player a respectable contract.

Then there’s another reality, borne by facts: very few players who’ve missed three or more consecutive seasons have returned to the field with any modicum of success. There are, of course, exceptions but that number is very small, those players were elite, and none of them returned commanding what Colin Kaepernick and outside forces will want today for him to put on an NFL uniform.

Keeping it simple (again), very NFL team enters the season with one goal and only one goal: to win the Super Bowl. They hope to focus on that goal like a laser. Distractions are the last thing wanted in a locker room, and very few bring on a player who’ll bring off-the-field drama with them. Of course, there ARE players whose skills make them tolerable exceptions.

Colin Kaepernick is NOT one of them.

Yes, they’re human but they’re also supposed to be the best the National Football League has to offer. But as they also say in football, “On any given Sunday”….

Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores ran across the field after his team lost, went to the nearest official and told him with an expletive what he thought of a pass-interference reversal that cost his team a win. And you thought that would be the worst moment for NFL referees on Sunday

If there’s one truth about the NFL, it’s that the officials can always lower the bar. On Sunday they deserved every word Flores said to them, and whatever Bill Belichick said to them too.

Sunday’s New England Patriots loss turned into a fiasco. Fans often believe officials call games to favor the Patriots, but the officials showed Sunday that their mistakes have no bias.
— Yahoo Sports, 12/9/19

…
Some teams are trying to back into the playoffs, thus players and coaches hope to justify their jobs for next season.

“This isn’t about me at all. It’s about those players, the coaches, the cafeteria people and the equipment staff and everybody in this organization. We all put a lot into this. Winning is important to us.”
— Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins head coach

Some teams are vying for playoff seeding. These goals should be determined by said players and coaches and not referees; some who can barely make it up and down the field, let alone see plays unfold mere feet from where they’re standing.

It was a huge loss for the Patriots. They now have almost no chance to get the No. 1 seed in the AFC and could end up losing the No. 2 seed to the Chiefs. Had the officiating been better, they might not have lost.

Instant replay was supposed to make sure referees got the call right, but if everyone in the stadium (not to mention nationally-televised audiences) can see what happened on the field and bad calls are allowed to stand, what good are they?

Full disclosure: We are pre-2001, lifelong New England Patriots fans.

Colin Kaepernick’s girlfriend, Nessa, is among those who believe the NFL is intentionally keeping the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback out of the league. She wasn’t the only one to insinuate as much, as former NFL player Charles Woodson told TMZ, “There’s a lot of guys that are in the conversation to be picked up. We know the reason [Kaepernick is] not one of those guys … but he should be.“

TMZ also noted former cornerback Antonio Cromartie suggested Kaepernick is better than the list of quarterbacks Washington brought in to work out after Alex Smith suffered an injury in Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans.
— Bleacher Report, 11/19/18

So inconvenient for Nessa, but Kaepernick may have been playing on an NFL field today had it not been for her opportunist “activist” big mouth… and more.

Of course, the media and the activist left will never admit that Nessa’s direct interference in the Baltimore Ravens deal is THE reason Colin Kaepernick is not throwing footballs on an NFL field for an NFL team today.

As the entire world knows by now, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in Friday’s pre-season game against Green Bay because he was protesting ‘black oppression’ in the United States. We’re now hearing that it was actually his girlfriend Nessa’s idea for Colin to protest.

Fox News also looked into the couple and found evidence that seems to show that his “conversion to social activism” happened only after he began dating his girlfriend, DJ Nessa Diab. Her social media account has plenty of photos and posts related to her job as a DJ but it also shows her stance as a black rights activist and Islam defender.
— The Grio, 9/3/16

As written before, NFL teams are businesses and their main goal is to win as many football games as possible; not absorb those who have an unrelated off-the-field agenda. Calling a team owner racist with nothing to back it up is also in that things-not-to-do list; especially when your previous on-the-field record was questionable at best.

Especially coming from a girlfriend who may just up and leave her boyfriend once someone of a higher profile and value is available.

Teams can interview any assistant coaches from other teams who are not in the playoffs. They must, however, request permission if a coach is under contract with another team. Teams are also allowed to interview assistant coaches who have a first-round bye in the playoffs. However, the interview must take place that week. Candidates can choose to decline the interview to focus on preparing their current team for the postseason.

If an assistant coach’s team loses in the Wild Card round, the candidate can interview with any team that goes through the proper channels to secure an interview. However, if the assistant coach’s team wins, teams need approval for an interview, which has to take place before the divisional round.

No initial interviews can be requested or granted for candidates whose teams are still in the playoffs after the divisional round, i.e. anyone from the four teams vying for a conference championship.
— SB Nation, 1/10/17

Yeah, like this is faithfully adhered to.

Sad how the NFL’s so-called “anti-tampering policy” is respected more on the college coaching level than on it’s own, especially during what’s arguably the most important part of the season.

This is an unnecessary distraction inflicted by losing franchises on teams that should be preparing for the well-earned chance at the Super Bowl. This unfortunately happens and repeatedly every season as the teams contacting these coaches aren’t affected because they weren’t good enough to get past December.

The Patriots lost Super Bowl XXXI to the Packers after it was announced, the week prior, that their head coach would be leaving to coach the Jets. Could this have also affected the Vikings who got humiliated in the NFC Championship?

That was then; this is now….

Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur named head coach of Giants
Steelers Todd Haley is the new Browns offensive coordinator
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Colts, Heading Towards Second Interview For Head Coach Position
NE special teams coordinator Joe Judge may join fellow departing Patriots assistant coaches

And can a coach effectively concentrate on two teams at the same time, one of his teams now in the Super Bowl?

Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Soon-to-be Lions head coach, reportedly already letting assistants go

At the end of every National Football League, “Black Monday” is the prelude to the sabotage of those teams that were competent enough to make it to the playoffs. With nothing to lose, owners and team general managers begin that search for someone, anyone, to take their teams from perennial losers to playoff hunters. But by doing so, they’re interfering with the chemistry of a team now trying to concentrate on winning a Super Bowl and the losers could care less.

If a team can endure a 17-week season of mediocrity or worse, it can wait another five weeks until the best teams play towards that big game undisturbed by losers.

2018 UPDATE

It didn’t take more than a few hours after the official end of the 2018 regular season for the interference to begin anew.

Green Bay Packers expected to request permission to interview Patriots play-callers Josh McDaniels, Brian Flores

Again, teams that couldn’t complete the mission disrupting those in the current process of winning.

If this really happened, the NFL protests will have entered that normally humorous, liberal eat-their-own phase.

Why should we believe this actually happened? Because local media was threatened to not talk about this or lose access to the Raiders. So, guess what happened. The Armstrong & Getty Show “exclusive” in question up and went into Internet oblivion.

As we all know, posts are taken down for one of two reasons: 1. items within it were wrong, or 2. it was ordered taken down. Interesting.

And here’s another part of this story that may be bubbling beneath the surface….

Do you think a few people in and around Las Vegas could be just a little pissed that an Oakland Raiders team that everyone knew should have had their way with the Washington Redskins lost convincingly?

The Raiders are due to move to Las Vegas in 2020. It will be interesting to see if this game will be an impetus for the city to find a way to entice a more mature team to come that won’t mess with their money. And how could this potentially affect the sports books in the future because who will touch a game where black players may be doggin’ it?

Could this also be why Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers suddenly announced their “unity” very publicly as to assure their black linemen they were down with the struggle and didn’t want to be Carred and feathered?

UPDATE:

Wow, that didn’t take long.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was again repeatedly sacked by the Broncos, suffered a broken back, is out for almost half of the season and guess what the talk is around Raider nation? Bringing in Colin Kaepernick!

With Derek Carr lost for up to six weeks with a fracture in his back, that planet is now blocking the sun in Oakland.

It’s obvious at this point NFL owners have been staying away from Colin Kaepernick because of the fear of the media circus and/or fan backlash due to his having originated kneeling during the National Anthem in protest of police brutality and racial profiling.

All this is to say, Kaepernick’s presence on a team wouldn’t be quite as controversial as it once was — not that the Raiders have ever really cared about such things. It inevitably leads back to the question of his on-field talents and whether he would be a good addition to a team, like the Raiders, who have playoff aspirations and are now facing as many as 6 weeks with EJ Manuel and Connor Cook as the team’s starter and backup respectively.

So, I pose the question to you…
— Silver & Black Pride, 10/2/17

Something had to happen to get the half-black quarterback back into the League.

Now, what will all those say if Colin Kaepernick is still as bad as when he was last benched and how long will activists demand he remain on the field despite performance?

So, I pose the question to you…

The NFL will air the “No More” campaign anthem Sunday during all NFL broadcasts. The ad features famous comedians and actors who have taken a stand against domestic violence, including “Law and Order: SVU” actors Ice-T, Mariska Hargitay and Ezekial Dann Florek.

The video was released by the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization that is striving to prevent domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

Fairly irrelevant Hollywood celebrities just HAD to let us know how we should be aware of domestic abuse in the NFL, as if men watching football telecasts are the only ones who commit violence and we’re now put on notice.

That being said, I wonder when this ad will be aired…?

If this “Joyful Heart Foundation” truly is interested in the eradication of child abuse, they may wish to direct their attention to the classroom where the cases of abuse on children is hundreds of times greater than the incidence of domestic abuse in the NFL.

That is, if trendy activism doesn’t get in the way.

Jonathan Dwyer of the Arizona Cardinals has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident and has been deactivated for this week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. Dwyer is now the third player in the NFL on what is essentially a paid leave while facing either domestic or child abuse charges. Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings and Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers are both on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list.
— Business Insider, 9/18/14

While the announcements of players receiving pay while investigations were ongoing pissed off the most holier-than-thou media types, we also believe that it was highly unlikely the sanctimonious punditry in the news business would be the ONLY employment base where domestic violence or other crimes did not occur, and thanks to the Internet hamper, here are a few examples of the hypocritical media’s dirty laundry….

1997

Testimony Stuns Court Albert, Wearing Women’s Underwear, Allegedly Bit New Prosecution Witness
A surprise witness testified Wednesday that 54-year-old NBC play-by-play man Marv Albert, wearing white panties and a garter belt, bit her three years ago in a Dallas hotel room during a struggle that left her holding the sportscaster’s hairpiece.

Patricia Masden’s story was the most shocking yet in Albert’s forcible sodomy and assault trial, drawing gasps from spectators but not even a smile from the jurors. Albert is not on trial in connection with the alleged incident, but Circuit Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick let her tell her story to show what prosecutors say was a pattern of conduct.

This incident prompted a tribute by Rush Limbaugh via a Bob Rivers’ classic….

2009

CNN’s Rick Sanchez alleged Hit-and-Run DUI, leaves victim Jeffrey Smuzinick paralyzed
WSVN-Ch.7 anchorman Rick Sanchez was charged on Friday with driving under the influence. The charge stems from a Dec. 10 accident during which Sanchez struck a pedestrian outside Joe Robbie Stadium, the Dade County State Attorney’s Office said. A blood test showed that Sanchez, 32, who lives in Pembroke Pines, was legally drunk when his 1991 Volvo hit Jeffrey Smuzinick, deputy chief prosecutor Kathleen Hoague said.

Sanchez’s alcohol level was .15. In Florida, .10 is considered drunk.

2011

Former ESPN personality Jay Mariotti charged with felony stalking and assault
Former ESPN sports personality Jay Mariotti has been charged with three felonies -– stalking, domestic violence and assault -– after he confronted his ex-girlfriend the same day a court ordered him to stay away from her, prosecutors said. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the charges: stalking, corporal injury on a spouse or domestic partner, and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. He was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a court order.

In addition to confronting his ex-girlfriend at a restaurant Sept. 30 — the day he pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence — prosecutors said he argued with his former girlfriend again outside of a Venice restaurant April 15. He allegedly pulled a chunk of her hair out and grabbed her cellphone, while shouting at her, prosecutors said.

Howard Bryant, writer for ESPN, charged with domestic assault in Buckland
ESPN and the author of three books was arrested in front of Buckland Pizza and charged with assaulting his estranged wife and hitting a police officer who tried to subdue him, state police said.

Howard Bryant, 42, of Hawley Road in Ashfield, was arrested at about 12:15 p.m. Saturday and charged with domestic assault and battery, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest, said state Trooper T.J. Tudryn of the Shelburne Falls barracks.

Former WJZ reporter arrested again in domestic violence case
Former television news personality Dennis Edwards is being held in the Baltimore city jail after police arrested him a second time in four days in connection with a domestic violence case involving his wife, according to court documents. A District Court judge on Monday set bail at $500,000 and scheduled a hearing for Feb. 2. The 54-year-old is charged with violating a protective order, telephone misuse, harassment and malicious destruction of property.

Police first arrested Edwards on Wednesday, Dec. 29, and charged him with assaulting his wife in their home on South Road. The woman told police that Edwards shoved her down and banged her head on the floor. He posted $20,000 bail and was released pending trial.

New York Times Tech Columnist David Pogue, Estranged Wife Charged With Disorderly Conduct In Westport
New York Times “gadget guru” David Pogue and his wife were arrested this week after the two tussled in their their Westport, CT, home, police said. Pogue, 48, and his wife Jennifer, 47, were both collared inside the Woody Lane home about 10:24 p.m. Monday when an argument between the two “turned physical,” Westport Town Police said.

Police captain Sam Arciola says an argument erupted, during which Jennifer allegedly bit David’s forearm. “Jennifer alleged that she was laying in bed reading a book, when David jumped on top of her, pinning her down and grabbing her iPhone from her hands. She then alleges that David had hit her in the head with the phone,” said Arciola.

2012

News anchor arrested on DUI charges
Amanda Davis, an anchor at WAGA in Atlanta, was driving northbound in the southbound lane of Piedmont Avenue near 14th Street in Midtown around 12:20 a.m. when the crash occurred, according to Atlanta police spokesman Gregory Lyon.

The investigating officer said he noticed that Davis smelled of alcohol. When he asked her if she had been drinking, she responded that she had, according to Lyon. During the course of the investigation, the officer determined he had reasonable cause to believe Davis was driving while impaired. Davis refused to a field sobriety test and state-administered chemical tests, Lyon said.

Former TV anchor arrested for DWI in Harlingen
Harlingen Police arrested a former Valley news anchor for driving while intoxicated early Thursday morning. Officers responded to the 3200 block of Treasure Hills Boulevard at 2:20 a.m., in reference to a car accident.

When they arrived, they found a blue 2006 Porsche Cayenne, driven by Peter Torgerson, 56, that had struck a parked car. The officer noticed Torgerson had blood shoot eyes, slurred speech, poor balance, and the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. Torgerson refused to take a breathylizer test. He faced a judge Thursday morning and was issued a $500 bond.

Torgerson was a longtime television anchor for the 5 p.m. evening news at KRGV. He quit in 1999 after winning the $37 million dollar Texas Lottery, along with a friend.

Former ABC anchor arrested for DUI
Sam Donaldson, a former anchor and reporter for ABC News, was arrested for DUI earlier this month in Delaware. Donaldson, 78, was arrested on December 1 in Lewes, Delaware. Donaldson is still an ABC News contributor and analyst.

Details are still coming in, so stay tuned to KLTV.com for the latest updates.

Former Tulsa TV Anchor Arrested On Meth Complaint
A former Tulsa TV news anchor was arrested on a drug complaint late Sunday night after officers searched his pickup truck following a traffic stop. According to jail records, a Tulsa Police officer stopped the pickup driven by Jerry Giordano just before midnight Sunday near 41st and South Harvard after the officer noticed it had an expired tag.

As the officer was doing an inventory of the pickup, he found a baggie in the driver’s seat containing a “dirty crystalline substance.” The officer wrote that he also found a baggie of “white crystalline substance” in the driver side door panel and a “large rock of crystalline substance” in the driver side door handle.

2013

KTSM anchor Adrienne Alvarez arrested on battery charge
Local TV news anchor Adrienne Alvarez was arrested Aug. 1 after police arrived at her home for a domestic violence incident. The 28-year old was charged with battery against a household member and was booked into the Doa Ana County Detention Center. She was released on bond at about 5 a.m. Aug. 1.

“We are aware of the arrest but will wait for more details before making any other comments,” Gary Sotir, general manager for KTSM/KDBC said in a statement.

KVIA morning weatherman arrested for alleged public intox, disorderly conduct
Channel 7-KVIA morning meterologist Jorge Torres was arrested early Sunday for allegedly causing a disturbance while drunk.

Jail records show Torres, 26, was booked on suspicion of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. He was released from the El Paso County Jail on Sunday evening after posting a $1,000 bond.

WISN’s Dan Needles arrested in domestic violence case
WISN-TV (Channel 12) sports director Dan Needles was arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident in Waukesha, police said Monday. Waukesha Police Sgt. Dave Wanner said Needles was arrested on Sunday and posted bail and was released.

On its website, WISN said Needles was arrested after an argument with his girlfriend in their home.

WLOS reporter John Le and wife arrested, both charged with misdemeanor assault
WLOS reporter John Le and his wife, Elizabeth Alicia Le, were both arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault early Saturday morning. An arrest warrant shows the two were arrested at their Brevard apartment about 1 a.m. on Saturday morning.

There is no other detail about the incident on the written report.

Greenwich Meteorologist Bill Evans, Wife Charged In Domestic Dispute
Old Greenwich resident and WABC-TV meteorologist Bill Evans and his wife, Dana, both face third-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges after an incident in their home, according to Greenwich police. Both Bill and Dana Evans turned themselves in to police after warrants were issued for their arrests in connection with an altercation that reportedly took place May 4, according to the police report.

Each was released on a promise to appear in Stamford Superior Court on June 17, according to the police report.

2014

Ex-CBS 2 anchor cleared of choking wife
Disgraced TV anchor Rob Morrison squirmed his way out of wife-choking charges Thursday, as a judge let him withdraw his guilty plea in return for finishing a domestic violence class. The former WCBS-Channel 2 anchor — who resigned after the February 2013 attack — saw all the domestic violence charges melt away at a brief hearing in a Stamford, Conn. court. He’s now ready to start anew, his lawyer said.

“He’ll end up with zero criminal record,” said Francis DiScala.

Shreveport Anchor Arrested for Drunk Driving
KTBS/Channel 3/Shreveport anchor Jody Lowery was arrested in Red River Parish for DWI on July 31st. State police booked Lowery under her full name: Jody Lowery Waldo. Lowery worked in Shreveport before taking a job in Tampa. But two years ago she returned to Shreveport to anchor the late news and do some reporting duties.

Few details have been released about her arrest.

KHOU announces anchor arrested on DWI charge
A popular Houston newsman found himself in the headlines Wednesday after his arrest on a DWI charge. KHOU-Channel 11 announced on its website that Ron Trevino, the station’s morning anchor, was arrested Tuesday night. But it did not add any details about what led to the charge.

According to Harris County court records, it is the 55-year-old’s first such offense. He was released from a city jail on $500 bond and his next court date is March 19.

Fox News’ Gregg Jarrett Arrested
Jarrett appeared to be drunk, acted belligerently and wouldn’t obey police orders, according to the police report. A bystander told the officer Jarrett had said he’d taken medication, though he told the officer he hadn’t. He told the officer he had begun drinking at 9 a.m. Jarrett was placed in a holding cell, where he struggled with the officer, who was trying to handcuff him. He was subsequently charged with obstructing the legal process by interfering with a peace officer, a misdemeanor.

2015

Wichita Reporter Arrested for Domestic Violence
Wichita NBC affiliate KSNW is reporting weekend anchor and reporter Brian Miller has been arrested for destruction of property/domestic violence.

“KSN is currently investigating the situation,” the station told viewers during its evening newscasts yesterday and on its website. “While that investigation continues, Brian will not appear on KSN.”

Former SA television news anchor arrested on DWI charge
A former San Antonio TV news anchor who worked at both KSAT and KENS several years ago was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Wednesday evening, according to a San Antonio police report.

Karen Gallagher, 56, was arrested just before 8 p.m. after a crash on Rogers Ranch on the far North Side.

In October 2011, Gallagher was sentenced to two years deferred adjudication and fined $2,000 after pleading no contest to two counts of obtaining drugs by theft.

Former Fox40 anchor Sabrina Rodriguez sentenced in shoplifting case
After pleading no contest to a single misdemeanor theft charge and agreeing to pay $2,480 in restitution, the former Fox40 anchor Sabrina Rodriguez is expected to spend 30 days wearing a monitoring device on her ankle and then try to rebuild her life.

“I just really want to move on with my life, I really do,” Rodriguez, 31, said

2016

Domestic Violence Charges Against KNTV‘s Brent Cannon Emerge
Garcia-Cannon and her husband are separated now with charges of domestic violence against him pending in a South Bay courtroom. By all accounts, things have gotten out of hand with her accusing him of various pushes and shoves, and more extreme physical behavior. According to a source close to Garcia, she has visible bruises to prove it.

Garcia-Cannon is still, somehow, anchoring the morning show at KNTV under obviously extenuating circumstances. “I don’t know how she does it–what with all this over her head,” said a source.

Channel 2 Action News reporter charged with DUI
A Channel 2 Action News reporter was charged with driving under the influence after refusing to take a Breathalyzer during a traffic stop Wednesday morning.

An Atlanta police officer said in a police report that he pulled over Tyisha Marie Fernandes at about 3 a.m. Wednesday on Piedmont Road after observing her car traveling at 66 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone.

TV reporter arrested for defecating on front lawn while covering story
Jonathan Lowe was working a story for KPHO when nature called. Instead of just holding it, he walked across the street and took a squat on the neighbor’s lawn. When officers showed up at the news van, Lowe told them, “I know what you want to talk to me about.” He told cops he wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to bother anyone by knocking on their door to use the bathroom. “I’ve been stuck in this van all day.”

He also said he couldn’t leave the area to go to a nearby Fry’s Marketplace, and accused the people who called police of just wanting to “start problems,” according to the document. Cops weren’t buying it and arrested him for public defecation.

According to a statement from KPHO’s news director, he has since been fired from his job.

2017

Kinky Details of CNN Anchor’s Central Park Arrest
CNN personality Richard Quest was arrested early Friday morning for drug possession when police found in Central Park well after the park’s 1 a.m. curfew. Sure, the initial reports said Quest told police he was carrying methamphetamime in his pocket, but leave it to the NY Post to add the really detailed details.

Not only did Quest have drugs, he also had a “rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot.” That was so not in the NY Times’ account. The Post also reported, “It wasn’t immediately clear what the rope was for” and that “the officer at the scene was able to ID the drug because of ‘his prior experience as a police officer in drug arrests, observation of packaging which is characteristic of this type of drug, and defendant’s statements that… “I’ve got some meth in my pocket.”‘

WJLA anchor Autria Godfrey charged with public intoxication and trespassing
Autria Godfrey, a popular anchor at local ABC affiliate WJLA, was arrested last month and charged with public intoxication and trespassing, according to Arlington County court records, after allegedly getting into a fight in a bar and being asked to leave.

Godfrey, 33, who anchors the station’s “Good Morning Washington” show and “ABC7 News at Noon,” was charged with the two misdemeanor counts in the early-morning hours of Feb. 18 at the Clarendon Grill in Arlington, per the arrest records. A police spokeswoman said she was arrested when she returned to the bar against police warnings.

KUTV News anchor formally charged with DUI
Charges have been officially filed against KUTV News anchor Shauna Lake after she was arrested on suspicion of DUI last week.

Lake, whose full name is Shauna Lake Marshall, faces a class B misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, a class C misdemeanor charge of using plates registered to another vehicle, a class C misdemeanor charge of open container in vehicle on highway and a vehicle registration infraction.

Police: Colleen Campbell Later Assaulted the World’s Most Patient Cop
By now, you’re probably familiar with the viral video of since-fired PHL 17 reporter Colleen Campbell ranting and raving and getting arrested outside of Helium Comedy Club on Sunday night. Earlier, we told you that the 28-year-old South Philadelphia woman had been charged with resisting arrest, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct, but now the Philadelphia Police Department is saying that it’s worse than we originally thought.

After transitioning from local news coverage in Philly to weather in West Virginia…

Colleen started in May of 2018 and – with hurricane-force winds – quickly rose to become the Chief. She did all of this while working a second job and pursuing her degree in meteorology.
— WDTV, 12/3/20

Explains why so many so-called meteorologists get the weather wrong. Campbell joined the East Texas “weather team” at CBS19 in December 2020. 

BTW — Campbell made several attempts to have our video of her removed from YouTube and in 2025, finally succeeded. The video can be found here.

2018

Former television meteorologist jailed on felony domestic violence charge
Mark Prater, who in April left his job as chief meteorologist for CBS 42, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Wednesday just after 3 p.m. According to jail records, Prater is charged with second-degree domestic violence/stalking.

The former award-winning television personality in the past had been named Birmingham’s Best News/Weather anchor on a number of occasions. The Associated Press also named him Alabama’s Best Weathercaster in 1999.

12 News reporter allegedly flees from law enforcement, intoxicated
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office website, Bryan Turner West, 30, was booked into jail Thursday. The charges include one count of unlawful flight from law enforcement, a class 5 felony, and four misdemeanor DUI counts, including super DUI, which requires a BAC above 0.20.

Mr. West is a reporter for 12 News- KPNX in Phoenix.

Embarrassing moment Florida TV anchor, 28, makes fun of white officer’s baldness and boasts about her master’s degree as she is arrested for drunk driving while claiming it’s racially motivated
A black television anchorwoman has been allowed back to work despite her arrest for drunk driving, as bodycam footage obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com shows her mocking officers and accusing them of arresting her because of her race.

Farron Salley, morning and weekend anchor at West Palm Beach’s Channel 25 in Florida, was welcomed back after a two-month leave after her arrest on December 15, 2018.

After a DUI Arrest, KSPR Anchor Frances Watson Returns to TV
KSPR anchor Frances Watson has returned to the air four months after being arrested for DUI in Springfield, Mo.

“As many of you know, it’s been four months since I have been on the air. I made a bad decision resulting in my arrest for drinking and driving. I was suspended and nearly lost everything I’ve worked hard for,” she said in a lengthy Facebook post. “It hasn’t been easy. It’s embarrassing and sad really. However, I’ve made the choice to own my mistake and not hide from it,” she continued.

The station never ran a story on her arrest back in December.

2019

Domestic violence charges dropped against former FOX 13 reporter
Domestic violence charges were dropped Friday against former FOX 13 reporter Scott Madaus. Madaus, 42, was arrested on the charges on Dec. 15, 2018. According to an affidavit, Madaus and the victim began fighting at his Midtown home after drinking a few glasses of wine, which upset the victim because Madaus had been sober for 20 days.

When officers arrived, they reported seeing the home vandalized and observing a scratch on the victim’s neck.

Tulsa Anchor Arrested on DUI Charges
KOKI noon anchor Tiffany Alaniz was arrested after driving drunk and crashing her car into a utility pole. According to Tulsa police, she flipped her car on Thursday night around 11:30 p.m.

Alaniz was not injured and refused medical help. Police say she showed signs of being intoxicated and underwent field testing from officers.

Hope Woodside, former popular Utah news anchor, arrested for DUI twice in 2 days
According to arresting documents, Hope Woodside, 57, was arrested on March 29 after dispatch received a complaint that she was suspected of drinking and driving in the Jeremy Ranch area. Woodside was booked into the Summit County Jail and is facing charges of DUI, open container and failure to signal.

The next day, just before 11 p.m. troopers were dispatched to I-80 west near the Jeremy Ranch exit on a report of a vehicle that had run off the road. When the trooper arrived, he found a witness who told him the driver was now in the back seat of the car.
Documents state there is prior history of complaints against Woodside of driving under the influence.

Woodside was a news anchor for Fox 13 for more than 20 years and had worked in the industry for 35. She made the decision to leave her job at Fox 13 in September 2018.

Evansville TV reporter arrested, accused of driving while drunk
Veronica DeKett, a noon anchor and senior reporter at WEVV-TV 44 News, has been charged with two counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated after she was pulled over after a night of drinking. DeKett failed several roadside tests, according to the affidavit. Police said she was belligerent and argumentative at times.

She was administered a portable breath test and registered a 0.19. A second test at the jail gave the same result. The legal limit is 0.08. She was booked into Vanderburgh County’s jail shortly after 2:20 a.m. but has since been released, according to online records. An initial court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 8:30.

Station Manager Eric Stremming had no comment on DeKett’s arrest.

Tech reporter Peter Bright charged with soliciting child sex online
Tech reporter Peter Bright has been arrested for soliciting sex with children online. He was employed by Ars Technica until recently.

A federal complaint alleges that Bright sought to molest a 7- and 9-year-old and met with an undercover agent for this purpose, at which point he was arrested. It also states that Bright claimed to be in a sexual relationship with an 11-year-old. He is currently being held without bail.

Former Dateline Reporter Chris Hansen Charged With Bouncing Checks
Chris Hansen got caught. The former Dateline NBC correspondent and To Catch a Predator host who left NBC News in 2013 has been accused of bouncing checks and then failing to pay $13,000 worth of marketing materials he received from a local vendor in Connecticut. An arrest warrant was issued for Hansen, who turned himself over to police on Monday and was released without bond.

2020

New Yorker Suspends Jeffrey Toobin for Masturbating on Zoom Call
Jeffrey Toobin addresses Zoom call masturbation scandal: ‘I’ll regret it for the rest of my life’
Jeffrey Toobin is back at CNN eight months after exposing himself on Zoom
The New Yorker has suspended reporter Jeffrey Toobin for masturbating on a Zoom video chat between members of the New Yorker and WNYC radio last week. Toobin says he did not realize his video was on.

Local news anchor arrested on assault charges, Anchorage police say
Police said they took Maureen “Maria” Athens, 41, into custody Friday in the parking lot of Coastal Television Broadcasting Co. on East Tudor Road after it was reported she and a man were involved in an altercation. Athens was charged with fourth-degree assault, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. At the arraignment, the judge ruled Athens would be banned from the property until further notice. Athens is also not allowed to have contact with the victim.

Ms. Athens’ employer, general manager Scott Centers declined to comment to Alaska’s News Source on the arrest, or whether Athens remains employed at the station.

Texas news anchor arrested on prostitution charge
A morning show anchor and reporter in Amarillo, who used to be on TV in San Antonio, was arrested on prostitution charges, according to ABC 7/KVII. Anthony Pittman, a morning anchor at ABC 7, was arrested Friday in Randall County and charged with solicitation of prostitution, a Class B misdemeanor, the station reported.

TV Anchor Arrested on Assault Charges After Allegedly Hitting Man with Beer Bottle in Fight Over Politics: Cop
A South Carolina TV news anchor normally reporting on the news was “in” the news after she was arrested on assault charges for allegedly cracking a beer bottle over a man’s head during a heated political argument, police said. The 32-year-old victim sustained injury to his face that required stitches, police said.

Kamie Jo Roesler, 28, an anchorwoman at WIS-TV in Columbia, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, according to the Sioux Falls police. The alleged victim, a 32-year-old man, told the police he and Roesler had been arguing about politics leading up to the incident, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Utah news anchor arrested for DUI
The Salt Lake Tribune reports KUTV anchorwoman Shauna Lake was arrested at Salt Lake International Airport on Friday.

She was approached by an officer while parked in a pickup. Officers requested a blood draw warrant, according to KUTV. She reportedly failed a field sobriety test, but the blood alcohol results are not yet complete. Lake was later released at the airport and sent with someone to drive her home.

This, apparently, is not Lake’s first DUI. Her first arrest happened in May 2017. There are rumors that Lake may be fired from her job. KUTV news director Michael Garber has not made any public comment on the matter.

2021

El Paso TV news anchor Tatiana Favela arrested on DWI charge near Cincinnati district
An El Paso television news anchor was arrested on a driving-while-intoxicated charge after allegedly driving erratically in the Cincinnati Avenue Entertainment District.

Tatiana Favela, 27, the weekend news anchor for Channel 9-KTSM, was arrested early Friday by an El Paso police DWI Task Force officer. The affidavit stated she declined to do a field sobriety test. “It’s against me,” she told the DWI officer, who asked her to clarify. “It’s against my privilege.”

Favela in an email on Monday stated she had “no comment at this time.”

2023

News Anchor Arrested For DUI In Maryland
NBC4 news anchor Leon Harris has seen his recent DUI arrest plastered all over the media. The 60-year-old journalist, who works in Washington, D.C., was arrested on January 29 after causing an accident and then trying to leave the scene. Harris, who once worked for CNN, rear-ended a vehicle at Bradley Boulevard and River Road in Montgomery County. The impact caused the vehicle he hit to rear-end a third vehicle. Fortunately, nobody suffered serious injuries in the crash.

Harris attempted to leave the accident scene but was caught by police. He failed both a Breathalyzer test and a sobriety test. His alcohol level was determined to be twice the state’s legal limit. An investigation into the incident is underway. During this time, Harris has been suspended from his on-air duties at NBC4.

Harris faces a total of nine criminal charges, all misdemeanors.

Former Univision sports anchor charged with murder in Corpus Christi
A former sports anchor in San Antonio has been arrested for murder in Corpus Christi, police there confirmed. Johnathan Solarte, 37, is charged with murder. He worked formerly as a sports anchor at Univision. 

Police said Solarte got into an argument with a 35-year-old family member. The argument turned into a physical fight and at some point, Solarte shot the victim, police said. The victim was transported to a hospital where he died.

In March of 2017, while Solarte was employed at Univision in San Antonio, he was arrested after refusing to stop when a Bexar County Sheriff’s deputy tried to pull him over. But the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the felony evading arrest case and he was not charged or indicted for the crime.

South Dakota reporter arrested, fired for using Gov. Kristi Noem’s phone number to make prank call
The Stanley County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Austin Goss, the capitol bureau reporter for Dakota News Now, had been arrested Thursday morning and released on a personal recognizance bond. Dakota News Now and KOTA Territory News, which employed Goss, issued a joint statement at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, which announced the termination of the reporter.

Documents say the call came from a website called PrankDial, which was able to make it appear as though the call was coming from Noem’s cell phone. The call was reportedly made around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 22. Goss was charged with “making threatening, harassing, misleading contacts,” a class 1 misdemeanor. The maximum penalty could be one year’s imprisonment and $2,000 in fines.

Goss nor his attorney wanted to talk on the record.

KSAT reporter arrested on suspicion of DWI
KSAT reporter John Paul Barajas was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The charge is a Class B misdemeanor.

According to a blood draw warrant from the San Antonio Police Department, Barajas was pulled over for speeding and drifting outside the lane of traffic in the 11000 block of Interstate 10 just before 2 a.m. on Sunday. SAPD said he refused a breathalyzer and was taken into custody without incident.

“KSAT12 is aware of an incident regarding one of our employees being arrested for alleged driving under the influence on November 5th, 2023,” said Ashley Parker, VP/GM of KSAT12. “We ask that you respect the privacy of all involved and refrain from speculation or conjecture.”

2024

News anchor in Texas accused of breaking boyfriend’s nose after drinking margaritas
A TV news anchor in Texas was arrested on domestic violence charges after police said she broke her boyfriend’s nose. Heather Kovar was arrested Monday night in College Station.

According to court records, Kovar was drinking margaritas at a Mexican food restaurant when she got into an argument with her boyfriend over relationship issues they’ve been having. They went back to her apartment across from the Texas A&M University campus where TAMUPD said the fight turned physical. Kovar punched him 12 times in the face, bit his left arm and scratched his other arm, according to court documents.

Columbia TV journalist arrested on child pornography charges
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office says Matt Vereen, 28, was arrested on Wednesday and taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He is a journalist at television station WACH-TV.

Vereen was charged with three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor: two counts in the second degree and another count in the third degree. Arrest warrants state that child sexual abuse material involving an underage girl was found on his Apple laptop during a search warrant on Wednesday.  Vereen’s LinkedIn page states he has worked as a sports anchor and reporter for WACH-TV for nearly three years. Prior to this, he worked as a sports reporter and anchor at KOLR, a news station in Springfield, Missouri.

WACH-TV said Friday that Vereen has been placed on suspension.

Ex-Local4 news anchor found guilty for alleged threats through texts, emails
A former central Nebraska news anchor has been found guilty of charges of terrorizing a woman through texts and emails.

Joseph Scanlan, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of attempt of a class 4 felony and two counts of intimidation by phone call or electronic device. All counts are misdemeanors.

In exchange for his plea, the latter count was reduced from felony terroristic threats.

2025

Former News Anchor Charged with Murder After Allegedly Stabbing and Killing Her 80-Year-Old Mother
A former news anchor has been charged with murder after she allegedly stabbed and killed her elderly mother.
Police responded to a “reported cutting” at a residence in Wichita, Kan., at about 7:52 a.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 31, per a media release shared on Facebook by the Sedgwick County Police Department (SCPD).
Upon arrival, police found a woman — who was later identified as 47-year-old Angelynn “Angie” Mock— standing outside the home. They then entered the residence and found Mock’s mother, Anita Avers, 80, “unresponsive in her bed with multiple stab wounds.”

FOX 26 Houston anchor Isiah Carey arrested for DWI — again
Award-winning FOX 26 Houston news anchor Isiah Carey, whose full name is Isiah Carey Arbuckle, was arrested overnight for driving while intoxicated, according to Montgomery County jail records. This is the 55-year-old’s second DWI arrest in recent years.

Host of the station’s Isiah Factor Uncensored, Carey was taken into custody around 3:50 a.m. on Friday and later booked into the Montgomery County Jail on his second DWI charge. The charge is classified as a Class A misdemeanor. He is being held with a bail set at $1,000. Further information about Carey’s arrest was not yet available by the time of this writing. FOX 26 did not provide a comment on Carey’s arrest. The station noted he will not be on the air tonight and there will be a re-run of one of his shows instead as he was already scheduled for time off.

South Florida news reporter turns himself into Miami police following Rolex theft, pawning
A South Florida man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pricy watch from a neighbor. According to police, 29-year-old Michael Hudak is accused of stealing a $16,000 Rolex from his neighbor while the latter was traveling abroad.

Hudak is a reporter for WSVN-ABC Miami in South Florida.

He was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set” as of Thursday afternoon.

WSVN said in a statement that Hudak “has been suspended without pay at this time.”

Ex-news anchor sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal conspiracy charge
Stephanie Hockridge, a former news anchor, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal conspiracy. The charges are in connection with Blueacorn, a paycheck protection program loan processing company during the pandemic, in which Hockridge was a co-founder. The judge ordered $64 million in restitution in the case, which will be forwarded to the Small Business Administration, which ran the PPP loan program. Hockridge and the other defendants will be jointly responsible for paying.

Hockridge, who worked as an ABC15 news anchor from 2011 to 2018, was acquitted of four counts of wire fraud but convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June 2025.

Former Rapid City news anchor receives a suspended imposition of sentence
On Thursday in Sturgis, Shad Olson who was a TV news anchor at KOTA and KNBN, was arrested on a domestic violence charge. was sentenced after pleading no contest to simple assault – domestic violence for an incident that occurred in February 2024.

The state was asking for a 180-day suspended jail sentence, and the judge gave Olson a suspended imposition of sentence.

Olson is required to attend anger management counseling, consent to search and seizure, consume no alcohol for the next 365 days, and have no contact with the victim or the victim’s address.

Former KTVU anchor arrested for fourth time following altercation with daughter
A former Bay Area news anchor was arrested this week on suspicion of assault with serious bodily injury after a physical altercation involving his daughter, according to a social media post and jail records.

Frank Somerville, 67, a former mainstay anchor for KTVU in Oakland, said in a now-deleted Facebook post that he was taken into custody Monday evening after a fight with his daughter. Alameda County jail records showed that Somerville was in custody at Santa Rita Jail on Tuesday morning.

2026

KOAT Reporter Arrested for DWI Early This Morning
Award-winning KOAT Channel 7 reporter and weekend anchor Julian Paras is facing some criminal charges related to an alleged drunk-driving incident. Paras admitted to consuming a few alcoholic drinks prior to driving.

While speaking face-to-face with the driver about the reason for the traffic stop, the officer reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath and continued to observe signs of impairment, including bloodshot and watery eyes.

After completion of booking paperwork, Paras was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Of course, seeing how news directors are the ultimate gatekeepers as to what is considered presentable to the public, we really have no idea just how many other journalists and news personalities have been busted. Many links to stories suspiciously come up as a “404 error”.

Media professionals salivate at the opportunity to report on any of us, no matter how devastating it is personally and professionally. But they get all protective of their private information when their activities put them in the spotlight.

Sucks, don’t it?