It looks like Doss is in deep doo-doo with the Colts at this point.
Colts to discipline Doss for gun arrest
By Mike Chappell
[email protected]
The Indianapolis Colts expect to take quick action against Mike Doss, their starting safety who was arrested over the weekend in Akron, Ohio, on gun-related charges.
Coach Tony Dungy, encircled by the local media following this morning’s summer school workout at the Union Federal Football Center, said the organization was disappointed that Doss had run afoul of the law and promised an immediate disciplinary response by the team.
“We have team regulations that in this case have been broken,’’ Dungy said. “We’re going to look into it and get the facts and we’re going to deal with it very, very swiftly and we’re going to try to do our best to make sure this doesn’t happen again.’’
Dungy added the team will consult with officials at the NFL office in New York and study the league’s collective bargaining agreement to determine what action it is allowed to take.
After that, Dungy said, the Colts’ punitive action “will be significant and it will be swift.’’
He declined to elaborate on what those actions might include, although Doss could face a fine and/or suspension from the team.
Doss cannot be disciplined by the NFL until the legal process runs its course. A player who is convicted of a criminal violation, or admits to one while pleading to a lesser charge, is subject to discipline at the discretion of commissioner Paul Tagliabue. The player could be fined, suspended without pay or banished from the league.
Doss, 24, was arrested early Sunday morning by Akron police for allegedly firing a handgun into the air near a crowded nightclub. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a fourth-degree felony, and misdemeanor counts of discharging a firearm within the city limits, inducing panic and obstructing official business.
Doss appeared in Akron Municipal Court this morning with his attorney, Mike Callahan. In a process that took only a few minutes, he pleaded not guilty. He faces a grand jury proceeding next Monday and, if indicted, an arraignment hearing June 10 in Summit County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court.
Doss is expected to return to the Colts’ practice field on Wednesday. He has not discussed his situation publicly.
Dungy talked with Doss by telephone following the player’s arrest, and got Doss’ explanation. Dungy declined to share his conversation with the local media, but his dissatisfaction with Doss’ predicament was clear.
“I was very, very disappointed,’’ he said. “This is certainly something we take a very dim view of, something I’m not happy with.’’
Being a member of the Colts’ organization and the NFL, Dungy added, comes with accountability.
“When I do something, it reflects on the Colts,’’ he said. “We know we have a responsibility and we take that very, very seriously. We want to make sure that these kind of things are not the norm and we take every precaution to make sure they don’t happen.’’
