THE NEW YORK Giants have sacked Josh Brown following domestic violence allegations embroiling the kicker, apologising for failing to act sooner over abuse claims made by his ex-wife.
Brown had been placed on paid leave by the National Football League last week after the emergence of police documents which cited ex-wife Molly as saying the 37-year-old had been violent with her on more than 20 occasions.
The case has embarrassed the NFL and led to accusations that the sport’s rulers are failing to take domestic violence cases seriously.
In a statement announcing Brown’s departure, Giants team president John Mara addressed the criticism levelled at the club over its handling of the case.
“We believed we did the right thing at every juncture in our relationship with Josh,” said Mara. “Our beliefs, our judgments and our decisions were misguided. We accept that responsibility.
“We hope that Josh will continue to dedicate himself to rehabilitation, and to becoming a better person and father. We hope that Josh and his family can find peace and a positive resolution.”
In a statement from Brown issued in the same Giants announcement, the kicker apologised for calling into question “the character or integrity of the New York Giants, Mr Mara or any of those who have supported me along the way.”
“In the coming days and weeks I plan on telling more of the pain I had caused and the measures taken to get help so I may be the voice of change and not a statistic,” Brown added.
Just hours earlier, Brown had issued a statement denying physically abusing his ex-wife.
“It is important to share that I never struck my wife, and never would,” he had said.
Brown was initially suspended for only one game for the 2015 domestic violence case. He played in five games for the Giants before being placed on the NFL’s “exempt list” after the league decided to investigate further following the release of a trove of documents last week.
In the documents, Brown admitted to domestic violence in various letter, email and journal entries. In one entry he wrote clearly: “I have abused my wife.”
