Bengal’s Benson Set to Meet NFL Commissioner on Thursday
Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson will meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday, according to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora.
Benson has faced criminal charges in the past and was arrested a few weeks ago for a June 29 assault in Austin, Texas.
The league would not comment on a possible meeting with Goodell, as per its policy on such matters, but coach Marvin Lewis told The Cincinnati Enquirer that he doesn't believe Benson will be suspended.
"I don't know why we're even talking about Cedric being suspended a game," Lewis said. "To me, it's unbelievable. It wouldn't be brought up in 31 other cities in the country I think.
"The truth about (the case) is that Cedric got sucker-punched in a bar," Lewis added. "That's the thing. And only because it was Cedric Benson does it become news."
Both the Bengals and Benson are still waiting for the league's final decision on the matter. Benson, 27, was arrested twice in a one-month span in 2008 on alcohol charges that were later dropped.
Lewis commented on that players have to be smart and constantly be able to walk away from altercations with the general public. We hear all the time how a professional athlete was provoked or challenged by someone or a group of people.
It comes with the territory and athletes have to be mindful of the environemnt and personnel which they chose to surround themselves with.
"They're [professional players] not necessarily in the wrong, but they are a little bit wrong in my standards if they do not walk away totally," Lewis said.
Benson was arrested June 29 and charged with misdemeanour assault for allegedly punching a bar employee in the face May 30.
According to the police, Benson was at Annie's West bar in Austin's Sixth Street entertainment district when he and another patron got into a heated altercation that left Benson with a bloody lip. After staff intervened, witnesses told police that Benson pushed a worker and was verbally abusive. After his violent behavior the running back was asked to leave, and was escorted to the door.
"As they took him outside, he continued to push and shove," senior police officer Veneza Aguinaga said shortly after the arrest.
Bartender Bryan White told police that once outside, Benson complained to people passing by that "all these white boys are ganging up on me and kicking me out."
According to White, he told Benson that he wouldn't take time out of his night just to kick him out, and without warning the running back took a wild swing and punched White in the face.
If Benson is ever suspended, it would be a huge blow to the Bengals’ offence that has struggled in the run department prior to Benson’s arrival. In 2009, Benson ran for over a 1,000 yards and was the backbone for the Cincinatti’s offence.
After having given his thoughts on the serious accusations that Benson faces, coach Lewis spoke freely about his current contract situation. Lewis is entering his final year of an extension he signed following the 2005 season and hopes to reach an agreement soon with owner Mike Brown.
“We have spoken about the contract a few times ... but we don’t talk about it daily," Lewis said. "That’s not me to worry about it or bring it up. I don’t go about it that way."
"I would love to continue to coach here. I think every year is a new challenge, a new start and, h**l, we’ve got Ocho[Chad Johnson]."
Now entering his eighth season with the Bengals, Lewis is tied with Paul Brown and Sam Wyche for the longest tenure with the franchise.
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