The New England Patriots are one of the best teams in the regular season. Now, of all times, there is a lot of unrest around the team.
In terms of sport, things are going well for the New England Patriots.
The team has already reached the NFL playoffs and is fighting for the number 1 seed in a long-distance duel with the Denver Broncos in Week 18 and thus a bye week at the start of the postseason.
But the team can’t calm down at the moment.
First, wide receiver Stefon Diggs was charged with strangulation and assault.
Then it emerged that defensive tackle Christian Barmore was under investigation for a domestic violence case. This emerges from files from the district court in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
A statement from the Patriots said they were informed at the time of the incident and informed the NFL in a timely manner. “The matter remains part of ongoing legal proceedings,” the team said. “We will respect this process, continue to monitor the situation closely, as we have done over the past few months, and cooperate fully with the league.”
According to Barmore’s lawyer, they are “confident that the evidence will show that no criminal conduct occurred. Based on the facts and the law, we expect that this private matter will be resolved in the near future and that both parties will move forward together.”
The NFL is currently reviewing both Barmore’s and Diggs’ cases in connection with possible violations of the league’s conduct policy. Both players are theoretically fit to play, but could be placed on the Commissioner Exempt List “should formal charges take the form of an indictment by a grand jury, the filing of indictments by a prosecutor, or a formal arraignment in criminal court.”
Patriots coach Vrabel is optimistic
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel reiterated that the allegations are things “we have to deal with. There are distractions every day – some small, some larger. I’m confident that we’ll be focused on Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. And that these two guys will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.”
According to Vrabel, possible internal team disciplinary measures are not yet an issue, but only when the legal situation has been clarified. “I don’t think we need to jump to any conclusions now. We’ll let the process take its course,” he said.
For Sunday’s game against the Dolphins (from 10:25 p.m. in the live ticker), Vrabel did not rule out either Diggs or Barmore being used.
