In 2010, as a member of the New York Jets, wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested for driving under the influence. Edwards was not suspended then, but this season his punishment for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy requires him to put $50,000 in the pot.
Considering Edwards’ track record, it would not have been surprising if he faced stiffer penalties. The decision by Commissioner Roger Goodell to only levy a fine is good news for Braylon’s current team, the San Francisco 49ers. The organization can begin their season without any unnecessary distractions, and the 49ers fans won’t have to wait to see what type of impact Edwards will have on the team’s success.
San Francisco is Edwards’ third team. Is this the charm?
Is he past his tendency to make poor decisions off the field? Will he commit to being the best wide receiver possible, leaving it all on the field and not at the club? Has he matured and learned to put his professional life before any distractions that might ruin his career?
For a man blessed enough to be entering his seventh season in the NFL, I would hope so.
