Daily Madden: Arrested NFL Players Shouldn't Play
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Should the 49ers continue to play defensive tackle Ray McDonald following his arrest for alleged domestic violence? John Madden doesn't think so.
"I think there has to be something done between the time a player is arrested and the time due process is carried out," Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew. "I don't know that we have to -- or the league has to -- keep letting him play and practice and be part of the team. And I think there ought to be something where when someone is arrested, that should be enough to say 'sit this one out.'"
The 49ers played McDonald Sunday, claiming his right to due process. McDonald hasn't been charged in the case.
"It's easy to hide behind due process and not do anything. Plus, I think (any action) has to come from the owner... If the league says it's okay for a guy to play - and I'm probably talking about Ray McDonald now - and if the owner says it's alright for the guy to play, and the general manager says it's alright for the guy to play, the coach is going to play him."
This week the Baltimore Ravens released running back Ray Rice and the league suspended him indefinitely after video surfaced showing him hitting his then-girlfriend and knocking her out in an elevator.
"There's no defense for what Ray Rice did, no one could defend that," Madden said. "Everyone knows it's wrong, so you just have to make sure every way you can that it never happens again.... The NFL is so popular, what could bring the NFL down? Well too much of this is one of those things that could bring the NFL down." (6:20)
(Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 and Monday and Friday mornings at 9:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.)