PFT
NFL memo threatens “significant discipline” for violations of league’s alcohol policy
Posted by Charean Williams on November 18, 2022, 6:30 PM EST
When the Houston Astros clinched the World Series earlier this month, they celebrated with 250 bottles of expensive champagne. Other sports also celebrate championships with alcohol. The NFL does not.
The league has a longstanding policy prohibiting alcohol at team facilities, in locker rooms and while traveling on team planes and buses.
It’s become obvious with several recent high-profile incidents and from social media posts on team planes that the policy is being violated.
The league sent a memo to its teams Friday threatening “significant discipline” for violating the policy.
“In light of recent events, clubs are reminded that
league policy prohibits alcoholic beverages, including beer, in the locker rooms, practice or office facilities, or while traveling on team buses or planes at any time during the preseason, regular season or postseason. This applies to all players, coaches, club personnel, and guests traveling with your team,” the league wrote, via NFL Media. “This policy has been in place for many years. Making alcohol available at club facilities or while traveling creates significant and unnecessary risks to the league, its players, coaches and others. Violations of this important policy will be taken seriously and will result in significant discipline.
“Each club should ensure that its travel arrangements do not include providing alcohol service at any time and should also take appropriate steps to confirm that alcohol (whether beer or any other alcoholic beverage) is not available at its facility. Please direct all further questions on this subject to Management Council of Football Operations.”
The memo came 24 hours after the DUI arrest of Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing following his team’s win over the Packers in Green Bay. Coach Mike Vrabel
would not say whether alcohol was available on the team plane.
After the Commanders’ win over the Eagles on Monday night, Washington quarterback
Taylor Heinicke was
seen in a video on a social media post with a beer in hand.
And former Chiefs assistant Britt Reid was driving while intoxicated
on the way home from the team facility in February 2021 when he caused serious bodily injury to a 5-year-old girl. Earlier this month, Reid was sentenced to three years in prison.
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Of course, no mention of what facade discipline was meted out.
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PFT
Commanders disciplined players for consuming alcohol on team plane, satisfying the NFL
Posted by Charean Williams on November 18, 2022, 6:54 PM EST
Members of the 1972 Dolphins popped the cork on champagne bottles Monday night after the Commanders defeated the NFL’s final undefeated team. Every team now has a loss after the Eagles were upset, assuring the Dolphins’ perfect season remains the only perfect season in the Super Bowl era.
The Commanders celebrated, too, on their way home, but what happened on their team charter didn’t stay on their team charter.
Quarterback
Taylor Heinicke was caught holding Busch Light cans on at least two videos on social media posts. The NFL prohibits alcohol on team charters, among other places, and sent a memo to its teams Friday threatening “
significant discipline” for violations.
The
Washington Post reports coach Ron Rivera
addressed the violation in a team meeting, and on Tuesday, he reached out to the league after the Commanders disciplined multiple players. The team’s punishment of the players satisfied the league.
“The league reviewed the matter this week, and we are satisfied with the discipline administered by the club. There will be no further action taken by the league,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy told the
Post.