The NFL announced a one-game suspension for Giants kicker Josh Brown, stemming from a violation of the personal conduct policy. According to reports, Brown was arrested in May 2015 on a domestic violence charge between Brown and his since-divorced wife. Brown made a statement on the situation.
“First of all, I’m not going into detail about anything. My major concern is my three kids, and the things that are put out there, and the things that are being said. Like everybody’s aware of, this moment happened over a year ago. The case was dropped five days after the moment happened, and we’ve moved forward with our lives at this point. While I’m not okay with the decision, I have to respect it.
I look forward to a 15-game season and moving forward with my teammates.”
Brown was allowed to play the entire 2015 season and went to the Pro Bowl after making 30 of his 32 field goal attempts. The kicker, who came into the league in 2003, knows what he is going to do with his week off.
“I’m going to spend it with my daughter,” said Brown, a Giant since 2013. “I’m going to go home and take her to school and be a dad and do the things that I need to do, that I get the opportunity to do because of this. Take that as an opportunity I’ve never had as a player, to take my daughter to school on the first day. I’m looking forward to that and I’ll continue to be kicking and working and preparing. Nothing as far as preparation will change for me.”
Ben McAdoo didn’t know about the situation last year but once he became head coach knew that a suspension was a possibility. The first-year head coach also made a statement. “We support the league office in their decision and their stance on personal conduct. I do support Josh as a man, a father, and a player. We treat these situations on a case by case basis.”
Tom Obarski would have hoped to get playing time under different circumstances, but he’ll have a number of chances to kick in the next preseason game. “I would love to get lots of kicks and lots of opportunities and I think that’s something that everyone hopes for, especially in preseason, to be able to go out and showcase yourself and take hold of any opportunity that’s there, so as we go into this game this weekend, we’ll continue to move forward in the preseason and take hold of any opportunity that’s there,” Obarski said.
Obarski has a “golden opportunity” according to McAdoo. “He seemed steady,” the head coach said when asked what he liked about the kicker. “I like the fact that he is going to have an opportunity, a golden opportunity, to make an impact for himself and his organization on Saturday.”
Brown will return but he will always be followed by what happened in May 2015. And the kicker knows that it will follow his children now.
“It’s not something that you want, and like I said, my main concern is my kids,” Brown said. “That’s the last thing you ever want to be on the internet, that they would read or their friends would read and the way that they would be approached at school and how they’re looked upon. Is it good? No, it’s not.”