NFL places Giants' Josh Brown on commissioner's exempt list

As they’ve tried to ignore the tempest brewing around them over the past 36 hours or so and seemingly done whatever they could to make the situation worse (“We’re not worried about the outside noise,” Ben McAdoo? Really?), the New York Giants, at some point, had to do something about kicker Josh Brown.

The team left Brown home on Thursday as it traveled to London for Sunday’s game with the Los Angeles Rams, and on Friday morning, McAdoo professed that the Giants weren’t going to turn their backs on Brown.

And now Brown has been placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Brown has attempted his last kick for New York, further saying that league sources indicated to him that Brown may never kick for any NFL team after documents were released on Wednesday by the King County (Wash.) Sheriffs Department showed handwritten journal entries credited to Brown in which he admits to physically and mentally abusing his then-wife, Molly, and that he used money to manipulate her.

The commissioner’s exempt list was likely the only option the Giants had; if the team or league tried to suspend him again (he was suspended for the first game of this season), it probably would have been overturned.

Placing Brown on the exempt list means he will not count against New York’s 53-man roster limit, and he will get paid his $1.15 million salary for this season. He is allowed to be at the Giants’ facility as long as the team approves.

Here is the text of the letter NFL vice president Adolpho Birch sent to Brown, which says that the league will now investigate the other incidents of violence Brown committed beyond the May 2015 incident that led to his September suspension:

Dear Mr. Brown:

On October 19, the King County (WA) Sheriff’s Office announced publicly that it had closed its investigation in connection with the May 22, 2015 altercation between you and your former wife, Molly Brown. As part of its report, the Sheriff’s Office released a volume of documents from its investigation, including in particular a transcript of Ms. Brown’s interview with law enforcement investigators and numerous e-mails, journal entries and other materials, many of which were reportedly authored by you.

As you may be aware, the NFL made multiple requests of the Sheriff’s Office for any and all pertinent information developed through its investigation. Because the Sheriff’s Office was treating its investigation as an open matter, however, the NFL’s requests were rejected and the materials first became known and available to us at the same time they were released publicly. The released materials appear to contain information regarding other incidents of abuse separate from the May 22, 2015 incident for which you were disciplined under the Personal Conduct Policy. As a result, further investigation by the league into those separate incidents is needed.

Accordingly, this will advise that, pursuant to the Personal Conduct Policy, Commissioner Goodell has placed you on the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt list on a limited and temporary basis to permit the league fully to review the materials and determine whether further action is necessary. We expect to conduct this review expeditiously and make any appropriate adjustments to your roster status in a timely manner.

Your placement on Commissioner Exempt does not represent a finding that you have violated the Personal Conduct Policy. Prior to any determination in that respect, you will be given an opportunity to review our investigatory report, meet with the league, and/or present relevant information on your behalf as provided for by the Policy.

While on Commissioner Exempt, you may not practice or attend games, but with club permission you may be present at the club’s facility for meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation, and other permitted non-football activities. You will be paid your salary pursuant to the terms of your contract and will continue to participate in all applicable benefit plans for which you otherwise qualify under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. You also will continue to accrue free agency and pension credit pursuant to the terms of the CBA.