Report: NFL won't place Laremy Tunsil in substance abuse program
By Sean Wagner-McGough | Staff Writer
May 2, 2016 1:51 pm ET
Laremy Tunsil's nightmare at the 2016 NFL Draft -- you know, when his social media accounts were hacked and a video of Tunsil smoking out of a gas mask attached to a bong and photos of Tunsil asking a coach for money were posted -- is officially over.
It turns out he's through the worst of it. The effects of that night, which saw him drop all the way to the Dolphins at No. 13 in the draft order, won't linger into his NFL career. As ESPN reported on Monday, the league will not place Tunsil in the substance abuse program due to that video. ESPN added, though, that the NFL will "closely monitor and support Tunsil in the event intervention is needed."
As ESPN also pointed out, a clause in the CBA would've allowed the NFL to put Tunsil into the program:
"Behavior [including but not limited to an arrest or conduct related to an alleged misuse of substances of abuse occurring up to two football seasons prior to the player's applicable scouting combine] which, in the judgment of the medical director, exhibits physical, behavioral, or psychological signs or symptoms of misuse of substances of abuse."
That's the clause the NFL will reportedly not be using (the NFL declined ESPN's invitation to comment on the report). And, honestly, that's great news for Tunsil, who endured a draft day from hell, which should've gained him sympathy because nobody deserves to go through what transpired Thursday night. It took extraordinary (and awful) circumstances to cause a player, who not too long ago was the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the draft, to fall to No. 13. It really ended up being the perfect storm of awful events for the former Ole Miss left tackle.
Laremy Tunsil's nightmare is finally over. (USATSI)
It started just minutes before the first round of the NFL Draft began. That's when someone -- the identity is still unknown -- hacked Tunsil's Twitter account by posting the gas mask video.
As NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported, Tunsil learned about the hacking while he was in the green room. So, on national television, Tunsil sat there ... and slid farther and farther down nearly every team's draft board.
The Chargers passed at No. 3. So did the Ravens at No. 6, opting for another offensive lineman, Ronnie Stanley instead. The 49ers' offensive line is miserable, but they said no thanks to Tunsil. The Titans took another offensive lineman at No. 8. The Bears, who could use an upgrade at left tackle, traded up to No. 9. They took Leonard Floyd instead.
Tunsil's tumble continued.
Finally, at No. 13, the Dolphins grabbed him, ending Tunsil's fall. But his nightmare continued.
As the draft progressed, Tunsil's Instagram was also hacked. Posted to that account were photos that showed Tunsil asking an Ole Miss coach for money to help his mother pay for electricity and water.
When Tunsil appeared on stage and in front of the press, reporters hit him with questions about the video and photos. Shockingly, Tunsil didn't question the authenticity of either. He owned up to both, saying the smoking video wasn't recent.
So, the story ends there, right? Well, not quite.
Tunsil was set to be introduced to the Miami media on Friday and he was -- eventually -- but first that press conference was delayed. Why? An allergy attack. Seriously.
"I do not have a drug problem," Tunsil eventually told the Miami media, per ESPN. "You can check all my college tests. I never failed one."
And that ends Tunsil's draft day tragedy (which only cost him a casual $8 million or so). Thankfully, he'll reportedly enter the NFL with a clean record and won't face other repercussions.
On the other hand, over at Ole Miss ...
Originally Posted by George Cumby
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