The NFL has taken a much tougher approach to domestic violence in the wake of incidents involving Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, but there are still some who choose to turn a blind eye to off-field issues.
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim admitted as much Wednesday with this brutally honest line:
"It's always going to be enticing for us, regardless of their issues, if they have tremendous skills," Keim told reporters, via Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com. "I've said this before - If Hannibal Lecter ran a 4.3 (40-yard dash) we'd probably diagnose it as an eating disorder."
Keim went on to say that off-field issues are one of the biggest reasons why players fail in the NFL, along with injuries, an inability to learn the game and not loving it enough. But as his initial comment suggests, there are times when talent outweighs off-field issues.
One example is top quarterback prospect Jameis Winston, who, despite his past issues, could end up going No. 1 overall in this year's draft.
"I always revert back to how we're going to take chances on guys who've had off-field issues," Keim said. "There's just no doubt about that. All teams have to because there are so many guys with so many issues.
"At the end of the day, you have to find out the players' passion and love for the game. Because if you're going to take a chance, you have to take a chance on a guy who's potentially going to point themselves in the right direction because of their love for the game, just like Tyrann (Mathieu) has."
