There have been a number of NFL stars in the past that have had their careers cut short by instances of violence towards women. Notable stars such as Ray Rice, Ezekiel Elliott, and recently, Kareem Hunt, have all faced suspensions due to violent acts.

In December of 2018, a video surfaced from the previous February showing Hunt getting into a confrontation with a woman outside of a hotel room and eventually kicking her while she was crouching on the ground. The video resulted in intense scrutiny of the 216 pound running back and he was eventually suspended from the league and released from his previous team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Many individuals have come out and criticized Hunt for his behavior in the ordeal, some even comparing it to the brutal video of Ray Rice that surfaced in 2014 of him hitting his wife in an elevator and dragging her out across the floor. While Hunt’s actions might not have been as severe as Rice, he still acted completely inappropriately, and there was speculation that his career may have ended as a result.

Despite these speculations, the Cleveland Browns shocked the football community by signing Hunt to a one year deal that is potentially worth up to one million dollars. As a comparison, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott faced similar charges yet still holds a contract worth 60 million dollars. Hunt would have continued on a low earning rookie contract with the Chiefs as he was only in his second year in the NFL, but was projected to be making a significantly larger amount of money than one million dollars in the coming years.

Kareem Hunt is certainly feeling the backlash of his actions through his notably lower paying contract, as well as public scrutiny. This new deal has raised questions about the NFL’s punishments of such actions and whether it is severe enough. Whether or not Hunt recovers from this incident will be seen in time. For now, football fans across the country will have to sit tight and wait for official statements about the signing from Brown’s GM John Dorsey, as well as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.