Bengals Owner Writes Op-Ed Explaining Why They Drafted Joe Mixon, Who Punched a Woman

The owner and president of the Bengals, Mike Brown, wrote an op-ed in which he attempts to explain the team’s rationale for picking Joe Mixon.

Mark D. Smith
USA Today Sports

Image via USA Today Sports

Mark D. Smith

Heading into the NFL Draft, there were questions about how character issues and off-the-field incidents would impact the draft position of prospects such as Gareon Conley and Chad Kelly. Perhaps no player drew more interest or questions, however, than Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon.

Mixon’s stock was influenced by him punching a woman in 2014, during his freshman year. The matter was resolved via settlement in April.

Though he did slide lower than most expected, Mixon was scooped by the Bengals in the second round (No. 48 overall) in April’s draft. This decision came under fire, with many fans wondering: How could the Bengals justify picking a player with such a problematic past?

The Bengals also received criticism in the Cincinnati Enquirer, as columnist Paul Daugherty wrote a piece titled “Bengals deserve everything they get with Mixon.”

"When winning is all that matters, winning no longer matters," Daugherty wrote.

The owner and president of the Bengals, Mike Brown, has responded in the Enquirer, with an op-ed in which he attempts to explain the team’s rationale for picking Mixon.

“Since the incident three years ago, Joe was suspended by the football team, pleaded guilty in court, and accepted the consequences of his actions,” Brown wrote. “He later went on to become a good citizen in Norman, a popular teammate, a player respected by his coaches, and one of the most talented players in college football.”

Brown later stated “it is unacceptable for a man to strike a woman” but said he believes Mixon’s character has changed in the three years since the incident. With that being said, Brown acknowledged selecting Mixon was “a risk.”

“We believe Joe has put this behind him and that he can turn into the player and community member that creates a plus for Cincinnati,” Brown said. “We are going to do everything in our power to make this happen.”

The letter is brief and to-the-point, but it certainly leaves something to be desired. There are no specifics as to how the Bengals will “do everything in our power” to help Mixon become a productive and safe member of the community.

Then again, this is the NFL, where domestic violence incidents have become commonplace, and where—as many of the players recognize—the system is broken.

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