The Cincinnati Bengals, after an uncharacteristic stretch of good behavior, now have another player who has landed on the wrong side of the legal line.
Even more uncharacteristically, the Bengals have called out the player who has gotten himself in trouble -- linebacker Rey Maualuga, who pleaded guilty today to DUI charges.
“The Bengals are disappointed in the actions by Rey that led to the charges against him,” the team said in a statement. “We expect a higher standard from our players, as is stressed to them continually. Rey must work to repair the damage this has done to his reputation, and he has begun that process with an apology, an expression of strong remorse and a prompt resolution in the Kentucky court. We expect that Rey will keep taking further steps, and the Club will actively follow up with Rey in working with him from a personal standpoint. Rey’s on-field play and community involvement were excellent during his rookie season, and the Club continues to anticipate an outstanding Bengals career for him.”
And so we’ll watch and wait to see whether Maualuga’s misadventures are an aberration, or whether it’s merely the dawn of a new age of lawlessness in Ohio’s Queen City.
