Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross has been suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the league announced. He has missed the last five games as a result of an October arrest after being placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.
Because he was on the Exempt List, Ross can return to the Chiefs on Monday after the game against the Buffalo Bills. Per league rules, any games missed while on the list are credited toward the suspension. That means the last five games will count toward the ban, meaning Ross can be back with the team for Week 15. However, he will have to pay back the game checks he received while on paid leave.
Ross was arrested in October for alleged domestic violence and criminal damage to property charges. Both charges were misdemeanors, and the total damage was less than $1,000, according to police. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
According to TMZ, witnesses told police that Ross pushed his girlfriend after he learned she cheated on him. Police said he damaged her car with a knife and threw her belongings at her. Police said the woman suffered a “small scratch” on her hand.
The woman said he damaged her laptop, iPhone, keys to her car, a computer monitor and gold bracelet. The court documents stated that Ross told police that he did damage the laptop, but said it was his. He said he didn’t damage any of the woman’s belongings.
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Ross is in his second year with the Chiefs after four years at Clemson. He opted out of the 2020 season, but still totaled 2,379 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in three seasons of action. The Chiefs then signed him as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. However, he missed the entire season due to foot surgery. In seven appearances in 2023, Ross totaled three receptions for 34 yards.
When the NFL decided to place Ross on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the plan was to gather as much information as they could. From there, he didn’t have much else to say on the matter.
“With Justyn Ross, just addressing that up front, we’re taking in all the information, and have been,” Reid said. “We’ll continue to do that. He’s back here. He’ll work today and we’ll just take it from there. Other than that, I don’t really have any information for you other than what we’ve gathered.”
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