Cedric Benson’s Suspension Reduced To One Game, Served Week 8

Benson was arrested twice and spent nearly a week in jail before the season. He protested the suspension because the NFLPA supposedly allowed up to eight players to be suspended by the league for violating the personal conduct policy despite those actions coming during a time when the players were locked out.

Check out SB Nation’s Cincy Jungle for the full story on Benson’s suspension.

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Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reports that Benson’s suspension, which was originally set at three games, has been reduced to one game plus a fine.

It’s unclear when the suspension will take effect.

Benson initially filed the charges against the NFLPA to dispute the fact that he was being suspended for actions that took place during the lockout. Benson has argued that he was not an employee of the team during the lockout as he was an unrestricted free agent at that point.

Pro Football also points to the argument that the NFLPA wasn’t a union during the lockout, having decertified, and thus had no ability to do anything on behalf of Benson. One possible issue with that argument is the fact that the August 4 letter agreement came after the lockout ended. At that point the union had recertified and was representing the players again. It will be interesting to see how the Board views these arguments.

Benson, of course, is appealing the suspension and has now pointed the finger at the NFLPA filing an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, according to Pro Football Talk. Benson has a good argument with both the NFL and NFLPA.

First, it is, in my opinion, inappropriate for the league to suspend players for things that they did when they were locked out. If the league wants to lock them out from, among other things, their paychecks and health insurance, then they shouldn’t hold them accountable for their behavior.

Benson will be allowed to continue to play while he appeals the suspension, with Silver adding that the 28-year-old has a hearing scheduled for next Tuesday.

Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Benson has not been informed of a suspension.

Benson checked himself into the Travis County Jail in Austin, Texas, according to a report from the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“I didn’t plan on him playing because I knew he wasn’t going to be here this week,” head coach Marvin Lewis told the Enquirer. “I’m not going to put a guy in the game who hasn’t practiced.”

He can report for jail on Oct. 17, the start of the Bengals bye week. With good behavior, he’s expected to spend about a week in jail, which would be all of the Bengals bye week.

So that’s one legal case behind him but that’s not the only one he dealt with this week.

David Cornwell, agent for Cedric Benson, tells Geoff Hobson of the Bengals official site that his client met with Commissioner Roger Goodell this week to discuss his arrest last month for reportedly getting into a fight at an Austin, TX bar.

Last month, Benson’s lawyer said his client was attacked first and Benson was only protecting himself. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis seemed to reiterate that this week saying Benson was “sucker-punched”.

David Cornwell, lawyer for Bengals RB Cedric Benson, has issued a statement indicating that his client was attacked first and did not instigate the fight that ultimately led to his arrest.

Here is his lawyer’s full statement, via Pro Football Talk:

SB Nation’s Cincy Jungle has taken a closer look at the report that Cedric Benson has been arrested for assault. Per Cincy Jungle, this is bad news for the Bengals run-first philosophy.

A suspension is very possible. His last two incidents (boating and driving while under the influence) resulted in charges that ultimately didn’t stick but Goodell has said on several occasions that it’s the pattern of behavior -- and not necessarily the arrests -- that matter.

Benson has posted bail and been released.

While it’s never a good time to be arrested, it’s especially worse when you’re trying to get a contract extension. The Bengals and Benson’s reps were reportedly in the “early stages” of discussing a contract extension.