Two NFL professional players are facing three-game suspensions from the 2023 regular NFL season for their participation in an incident dating to February last year in Las Vegas. The NFL revealed Friday that Alvin Kamara, the running back for the New Orleans Saints, along with Chris Lammons, the Indianapolis Colts’ cornerback, were suspended for three games each.
The decision for the temporary suspension from the regular season comes after the League determined that the duo violated its personal conduct policy with the incident that occurred back in February 2022. Being suspended, Kamara will miss the Saints’ matches against the Titans, Packers and Panthers. He is set to return to the team in Week 4 of the 2023 regular NFL season for the match against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Both Lammons and Kamara were arrested in February 2022, after an incident outside of a nightclub in Las Vegas during the 2022 Pro Bowl weekend. The duo, along with other defendants allegedly hit and kicked Darrell Greene, who was the victim of the incident. Consequently, the man, who suffered from an orbital fracture of his right eye, filed a lawsuit. According to the NFL, the $10 million lawsuit was settled confidentially.
Earlier this year, charges were filed against Kamara, Lammons and the other defendants. Although Kamara initially pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor conspiracy to commit battery and felony battery, last month, he pleaded no contest to a lesser charge, misdemeanor due to breach of peace, NFL reveals.
A Bad Decision
In light of the no-contest plea, the court ordered Kamara to pay the victim, Greene, restitution of nearly $106,000, covering medical treatment. Additionally, he was fined $500 and ordered to undergo 30 hours of community service. Still, the no-contest plea enabled the professional athlete to avoid a tougher charge of felony battery that can be punishable with up to five years in prison.
“I never want to be involved in something where someone gets hurt or severely injured or anything. Poor judgement on my end. Definitely a bad decision.“
Alvin Kamara, running back for the NFL’s New Orleans Saints
Before the announcement about the suspension, Kamara met with Commissioner Roger Goodell and discussed the incident. In a statement released by NFL, he acknowledged that the meeting went well and he showed remorse about the encounter that took place in Las Vegas back in February 2022.
Additionally, Kamara said that the incident brought embarrassment to his family, his mother and the Saints. Finally, he admitted he was wrong, and that the incident was an embarrassment for the NFL, the city and himself.