OCTOBER 16: The NFL will not make a decision with respect to a possible suspension for Adams until the legal process has concluded, as Rapoport writes. Adams will be disciplined under the league’s personal conduct policy — which includes an NFL investigation and a decision by Judge Sue L. Robinson– as opposed to game-day rules. That is presumably because the incident took place after the game was over and did not involve another player.
OCTOBER 12: Momentum may be moving toward a Davante Adams suspension. Kansas City police charged Adams in connection with his postgame shove of a photographer, according to KCTV5’s Shain Bergen (on Twitter).
Initially reported as a misdemeanor assault charge, Adams is actually facing a city ordinance violation, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This checks in a bit below misdemeanor assault. It carries a $250-$1K fine and/or up to 180 days in jail.
The NFL is reviewing this matter. While the Raiders’ Week 6 bye gives the league a bit more time, a decision should be expected before Las Vegas resumes its season. A suspension and/or a fine are considered to be in play after Adams shoved the photographer to the ground following the Raiders’ one-point loss Monday night.
This certainly qualifies as one of the more unusual developments in recent NFL history. The photographer Adams shoved filed charges against the 29-year-old pass catcher not long after the incident. Adams apologized shortly after the encounter, but this matter is not going away. The All-Pro wideout is due in court Nov. 10.
The police report indicates the photographer, Ryan Zebley, sustained whiplash and a possible minor concussion as a result of Adams’ shove. Upon filing these charges, Zebley indicated he went to a Kansas City-area hospital as a result of this unusual postgame incident. The video evidence available should allow for an expedited NFL investigation, and should the result end with an Adams ban, it would certainly mark a notable chapter in the Raiders-Chiefs rivalry.
Las Vegas’ post-bye schedule starts with games against the Texans, Saints, Jaguars and Colts. The team also lost Darren Waller to a hamstring injury against the Chiefs, leaving the Pro Bowl tight end uncertain for Week 7. Being without Adams to start that stretch would obviously further limit the Raiders’ offense, which has a reduced margin for error thanks to Monday’s one-point loss that dropped the team to 1-4. Adams is in the first season of a five-year, $140MM contract. Although he caught two touchdown passes against the Chiefs, Adams’ Raiders tenure is off to a rocky start because of this issue.
They have to give him at least a game. Can’t set a precedent that it’s okay to push the people working around the game.
I’ve watched the footage frame by frame. The photographer’s assistant literally stepped on Adam’s toes before Adam shoved him. Moreover, the assistant was blithely slinging around a dangerous lighting stand with large legs and sharp arms. One could easily argue the shove was self-defense, Adams trying to make sure the lighting stand does not injure him.
The main corridor for the teams to exit is not a photographer priority crossing zone. I.e. the photographer had no business getting in the way of Adams leaving the film.
This is a photographer’s perspective (I shoot soccer at a semipro level and would never consider getting in the way of our players like this, let alone an angry NFL player). The photographer’s assistant is an entitled jerk and should be banned from pro sports for life. Maybe he’d be more successful stepping on brides’ toes.
“A dangerous lighting stand with large legs and sharp arms?!!” You can’t be serious. This guy gets head-hunted by safeties every game and you think he literally was threatened by a lighting stand? Adams was angry and lacks self-control. He’s a coward who pushed a defenseless person while wearing his own helmet and pads. Unbelievable.
No. The guy walked right into Adams, who clearly had right of way. He pushed him too hard, but it’s more the photographer’s fault than Adams.
…except that even Adams admitted he lost his composure, was wrong and shouldn’t have pushed him.
Adams said what his coach, his agent and the NFL told him to say. I can’t blame him for trying to downplay the incident. Tempest in a teapot.
“I’m just here so I won’t get fined”
What in the snowflake USA is happening here?
Do I condone a man “assaulting” another man? No. But for a misdemeanor to be charged for a shove seems ridiculous. Hopefully Adams can do the right thing and pay him off and end this story.
Ya paying people off to make things go away is the “right thing”. I guess you learned your life lessons from Kobe Bryant
It’s the American way
That guy doesn’t deserve a dollar, nor does Adams deserve to be charged with anything nor suspended. The guy clearly got right in Adams way. He should be fired from being on the field as he clearly doesn’t have the where with all to stay out of the way.
If your an idiot just say your an idiot.
If you’re an idiot just say you’re an idiot.
So by your logic, if someone “gets in your way” you have a legal right to push them to the ground? Please tell me you don’t really think that. If so, you don’t know anything about legal rights, human decency, or self-control.
if someone “gets in your way” you have a legal right to push them to the ground?
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If you are walking a straight line, and someone steps in front of you, whose responsibility is it to yield?
I don’t want to get into a brawl over it, but the guy that steps into my path is wrong. Can we agree on that?
And to be honest, the world would be a better place if no one stepped in each other’s way.
The guy no right to be where he was as a team is coming off the field. By league rules the tunnel has to be clear. He got what he deserved for nor not following protocol. Money grab that’s all it is. He can go to he’ll.
You’re an idiot lmao
LMAO come on man. assault is assualt.
Apparently not. If it is done with a helmet during joint practice, it’s all good.
Or punching a teammate in practice like with the warriors
assault is assualt.
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So if you’re walking a straightline, and I step in front of you, that’s okay?
That’s not assault. The camera man is a joke for pressing charges and is just looking for attention and money. Whiplash and a “possible”minor concussion? Get real
It’s arrogant to assume to know what one is experiencing. Maybe the cameraman was injured. Maybe his equipment was damaged.
What an awful take. I don’t have words. So you’re saying if you were minding your business at work and someone came and violently shoved you to the ground, you’d be okay with it?
Stepping right in front of a football player while he is walking to the locker room is not even close to ‘minding your own business’. And if you think that was violent…
There is a clear and distinguishable difference… my office job doesn’t include a shared exit with a gladiator arena. And it is more likely that the person pushing me would be wearing a 3 piece suit than padded protective equipment.
Lastly, IF I was pushed at worked and fell (which I still state as highly unlikely), I wouldn’t be filing a report with the police.
If I walked blindly into someone’s path and got shoved, I wouldn’t think the shove was out of line. It’s no worse than what I’d done. End of story.
So you’re saying if you were minding your business at work
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If someone steps in front of you while you’re minding your own business, do you need to yield? And why?
The NFL has a horrible image problem, and can’t go a week without another incident taking away from what should actually matter which is the game of football. In a sane world he’d get a minimum 4 game suspension for assaulting an employee of the NFL on live national television. The optics are just horrendous. I know folks will be like “it was only a push” or “the guy was fine” but that completely ignores that you just can’t attack people in a healthy society and no matter how mad you are about a game you need to be an adult and not have a temper tantrum where you shove someone so hard they have to go to the hospital on national TV.
They’ve successfully swept the Alvin kamara pro bowl incident under the rug. NFL is probably most upset about this being an ESPN employee so they’ll have to pay more hush money.
Lol He didn’t attack anyone. And the guy wasn’t a employee of the NFL
He didn’t have to go to the hospital. He went for his payday
The photog will drop the charges once he gets paid.
‘Merica
What a joke. He barely touched the guy and the guy damn sure didn’t get a minor concussion. Give me a break.
That was a full on shove lol you blind
He unquestionably did “touch” the guy though. They collectively bargained to be able do that on the field to other players, but that is and should continue to be unacceptable everywhere else.
When you compare adams getting a possible fine/suspension over this then you see what happened to Watson it really shows how much of a joke the NFL is becoming
How hard the guy fell or whether he got injured isn’t the point. You don’t just walk up to a guy doing his job and shove him out of your way because you had a bad day. Not without consequences.
Ultimately, this perspective is spot on. I personally don’t agree with taking it to the law, but I imagine the worker understands that golden tickets like this don’t come around very often.
My guess is that the league simply issues a fine, similar to throwing a football into the stands or wearing the wrong color socks.
Cause Adam is on the raider u want him to get a game suspension so u guy are ridiculous I see a fine not a suspension
Pressing charges, what a joke.
Was it wrong yes, 1st to step front of Adams & 2nd for Adams to push him. Both should be up on charges.
The photographer sure popped up quick and walked away for being so hurt
All i saw in the video replay on my phone..not the best or biggest screen..was the dude basically cutting Adams off. That doesn’t excuse Adams reaction so what it seems to me is 2 wrongs don’t make a right. But that wasn’t enough, as the photographer (I’m guessing either a KC resident/native/fan or simply a Raider hater..) goes 1 step further and files charges. 3 wrongs don’t make a right either.
Adams, to his credit, apologized during his press conference. If I was him, after learning the guy filed charges, I’d rescind my apology.
And if I’m the league, I’d definitely consider the player’s history before dropping a suspension.
Antonio Brown? He’d get one.
N’Donkeykong Suh? You betcha.
Adams? I’d probably tell him this was a lesson, and watch out for guys looking to get 15 minutes or a quick payoff.
PFR removing comments I see. Supporting Adams here is foolish.
How so?!?
So if you are at a yield sign and you see a tractor trailer coming who has the right of way, you decide to gun it and ultimately get hit by the semi- is it the semi’s fault you made a bad choice?
Adams made a full stop then pushed.
You didn’t really answer the question.
The kid saw Adams coming and should have waited. And the push by Adams didn’t cause physical harm- embarrassment for the kid? Sure.
He didn’t see him coming at all. Stop deflecting for a grown adult that threw a legitimate temper tantrum and assaulted a guy. Full stop.
Adams wasn’t the only player coming through. He knew the Raiders team was coming into that tunnel. He was completely ignorant. His neglect to be aware of his surroundings is his own demise. Even if Adams had any fault in the situation, which he doesn’t, to press charges is ridiculous.
But to humor your ridiculous example…if you cut off the semi and the semi comes to a complete stop and then gets out and pushes you…guess who is liable…the semi. Thanks for proving my point.
Thank you for proving mine actually. The semi can’t stop. This guy is a joke and I can’t believe anybody is defending it. He is weak and so are your comments and your view on all of this.
But thr player DID stop. It’s on video. Adams full stopped. How are you missing this so bad? He stopped. Then pushed. Then walked on.
He stopped. It’s simple.
Draymond assaulted Poole… Adams did not assault this kid. The kid took himself and bulky equipment and moved right in front of Adams. Adams should counter and sue for ignorance and neglect on the photographer’s part.
Then how does this kid get a concussion when his head didn’t hit anything? He was pushed and fell to his backside. I wouldn’t even say he was shoved! He’s a soft kid looking for a paycheck to not work. Sadly he will get his money and DaVonte will need to eat more breakfast crunchwraps to keep food on the table.
The definition of concussion will reveal the answer you seem to be willfully ignoring. link to cdc.gov
I’m not ignoring anything. He didn’t get a concussion! Unless his head is his butt. He fell on his butt, not on his head his head never hit the ground or anything else for that matter. I don’t understand why everybody feels so compelled to defend a moneygrubbing snowflake.
Weak. As a Chiefs fan these charges are weak. Has this happened in Las Vegas or Oakland this wouldn’t even be a story
A critical incident like this and no congressional select committee jumping at the chance to waste taxpayers money on an investigation? Something seems amiss.
The camera guy ran right in front of a football player who just spent the past 3 hours pushing people and catching bombs. In no way was he ‘doing his job’ like some of you knuckleheads suggested. Rule #1 in show business, stay the F out of the way of the talent and that guy was completely lost.
I’d love for the NFL to have Adams’ back on this one and withhold a suspension. He’s one of the better ambassadors for the league and was outstanding in his response following the incident.
The people who say this was assault are the same ones who think there was roughing the passer on Tom Brady. By the letter of the law you might be right, but the majority of us know the TRUTH.
The fact that the NFL is even considering a suspension is ridiculous. What Bobby Wagner did was far worse and actually qualified as assault
“Possible” concussion? Who examined him, the independent doctor that examined Tagoviola and let him return to the game?
You do this for a living. GTFO the way.
This reminded me of that Rodman scenario
link to chicagotribune.com
Charged in connection with shoving incident? You mean the incident that showed him on camera millions of times on all the news stations and video clips? Allegedly
He’s now officially a Raider
Thank you TMQ! Some of the people posting Negative comments the about Adams incident, WHAT Don’t you understand about Personal Space!?! I mean Sure the guy’s got a job to do but you don’t have to be All in a person’s face with your equipment to do your job and I’m SURE the guy has hurt himself Worse Tripping over something or Bumping his Head but to be Hospitalized and File Charges I got One thing to say…”COME ON MAN!!!
The shove was unnecessary. It’s just an a-hole thing to do.
No it wasn’t. The tunnel by league rules has to be clear as teams come off the field. That guy is an idiot and can’t follow league rules. He deserves not a damn thing.
I’m not saying the cameraman wasn’t wrong for being where he was.