The Eagles waived wide receiver Josh Huff on Thursday, two days after he was arrested on charges including unlawful possession of a weapon and a day after coach Doug Pederson said that he expected Huff to play against the Giants this Sunday.
Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman addressed the decision in a press conference Thursday and said that the decision came after discussions with Pederson, owner Jeffrey Lurie and team president Don Smolenski. Roseman didn’t delve too deeply into what pushed them to part ways with Huff, but called the decision “what’s right” for the team.
Huff spoke to the media on Wednesday and said he made a “terrible mistake” while also explaining why he felt the need to carry a gun that’s licensed in Texas but not in New Jersey, which is where Huff was arrested. Roseman said that the team doesn’t believe Huff brought the gun to the team’s facility, which would have been a violation of NFL policy.
Huff released a statement via Adam Caplan of ESPN following his release that didn’t have any discussion of guns.
“First, I want to apologize to Mr. Lurie and his family, my coaches and teammates, and all Eagles fans,” Huff said. “I’m sorry that any action by me brought negative light to this organization. I want to thank the Lurie Family, Howie, this community and the entire Eagles organization for the opportunity I’ve had for the past 3 years. Most important, I want to let the fans and community as a whole know that I understand the responsibility I have as a professional athlete, and I will take all measures necessary to correct mistakes I have made.”
Huff is available to the other 31 teams in the league on waivers and will almost certainly face discipline from the league at some point in addition to whatever comes from his dealings with the legal system.
