On Friday, October 27, the NFL made a significant announcement regarding Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross. The league has placed Ross on the Commissioner’s Exempt List in the wake of his arrest on Monday, October 23.
Ross, aged 23, found himself in trouble with the law when he was apprehended by the Shawnee (Kansas) Police Department and subsequently booked into the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office on Monday afternoon.
According to booking records, Ross faced charges of domestic battery with no prior convictions and criminal damage amounting to less than $1,000.
The Kansas City Star delved into the details of the incident involving Ross and a female individual who was either currently or previously in a dating relationship with him.
Disturbingly, radio traffic on Broadcastify.com revealed a police dispatcher’s statement that the alleged victim had informed the police about Ross “dragging her through the house and has torn up the house.”
Although the alleged victim sustained minor injuries, the Shawnee Police Department’s offense report did not specify the nature of these injuries. The property damage included a laptop, iPhone, computer monitor, gold bracelet, and a car key, as mentioned in the offense report.
On Tuesday, October 24, Ross appeared via Zoom for his court hearing, where he pleaded not guilty. It was reported by Harold R. Kuntz of Fox 4 in Kansas City that he was scheduled to be released after posting a $2,500 bond, with his next court hearing set for December 4.
Ross’ placement on the Commissioner’s Exempt List has immediate consequences, as it renders him ineligible to participate in team practices and games.
Justyn Ross’ Limited Usage Explained
For the initial seven weeks of the regular season, Justyn Ross experienced limited involvement within the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense. His playing time constituted only 17% of the team’s total offensive snaps, during which he managed to catch 3-of-6 targets for a total of 34 yards.
The question naturally arises: why has Ross seen so little action on the field this season, especially in light of the inconsistent performances by other Chiefs’ receivers, with the exception of rookie Rashee Rice? Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer offered insights into the matter, suggesting that it revolves around Ross’s performance in practice.
Breer stated on October 24, “What I’ve heard is there are football issues here. He’s been inconsistent in practice and, while he’s big, he’s not very fast and struggles with running some routes.
That makes him a tough fit in an offense where receivers are moved around constantly and asked to be versatile in what they bring to the table. Add it up, and it feels like he’s just a matchup guy for you, and those types generally play sparingly until they evolve.”
Twitter Reacts to Justyn Ross’ Situation
The news of Justyn Ross being placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List prompted various reactions on Twitter. Some users expressed concern about his future in the league.
Jared Sapp of Arrowhead Pride wrote, “Not a good development for Ross’ future. The league has tended to let things play out before getting involved when they can. The Commissioner Exempt List tends to be the league getting ahead of a PR situation. The details are likely worse than what is currently publicly known.”
In contrast, there were differing opinions, as one user stated, “Unpopular Chiefs opinion: I don’t think that shortening the Chiefs’ wide receiver depth chart is necessarily the worst thing in the world right now.”
Another user lamented the situation, saying, “Damn Ross????… I was seriously rooting for him. Can’t believe only his freshman year will be all we can refer to as far as production goes.”