Amid Deshaun Watson suspension talk, Kareem Hunt focuses on what he can do to help Browns win

WILLOUGHBY — Kareem Hunt knows what it's like to be at the center of a controversy. It's the way his Browns career started.

Hunt arrived in Cleveland in 2019 after having been released by the Chiefs for an incident in which he shoved and kicked a woman inside his apartment building. He served an eight-game suspension from the NFL that season for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Three years later, Deshaun Watson starts his Browns career amid the controversy of 24 lawsuits – 20 of which have been settled – alleging some level of sexual misconduct during massages while he was with the Texans. Wednesday marked the second day of the quarterback's hearing with the NFL and NFL Players' Association's jointly-appointed disciplinary officer, Sue L. Robinson, on potential personal conduct policy violations. The hearing will extend at least into Thursday.

Hunt is well aware of what Watson is going through in the process. Enough so that the Browns running back has made sure to speak to his new teammate.

"Yeah, we talked a little bit, for sure," Hunt said during his youth camp Wednesday at Willoughby South High School. "I’m going to keep it between us, but, yeah. It’s a lot, so I just wish him the best, tell him to keep his head up and hopefully things work out."

The discussion isn't limited to just between Hunt and Watson. It's something that has come up in the course of conversations throughout the offseason between players.

But they're trying not to dwell on what's going on with the new quarterback.

"We do, but we’re more worried about ourselves," Hunt said. "It’s a business, man, that’s the biggest thing. You’ve got to worry about yourself, because if you don’t you could not be here."

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Neither the Browns nor anyone else know exactly how much Watson will be there once the season gets underway. Regardless of what suspension length is handed out by Robinson, he'll be allowed to participate throughout training camp and the preseason.

It's once the season begins where it all remains murky. The NFL has been very public in wanting an indefinite suspension for Watson of no less than a full season.

Robinson could agree to that, or issue something much less. The timing of when she will make her final ruling remains uncertain with the proceedings carrying into a third day.

An appeal will no doubt follow by Watson and the NFLPA against any punishment. Yet all of that is on a timetable no one outside of the process knows.

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"It’s definitely stressful for them," Hunt said. "It’s tough because they’re trying to figure out what pieces they’ve got for the season and what plays they want to put it. You know, there’s different plays for Deshaun and Jacoby (Brissett), different playbook, different things we can do at quarterback."

While that has all been swirling around the team, a parallel yet related issue has been ongoing essentially since the Browns acquired Watson from Houston in March. That would be the future of Baker Mayfield, their quarterback for the last four seasons.

Mayfield was not present during the offseason program, and was excused from the team's mandatory minicamp earlier this month. On Tuesday, he told reporters at his own youth camp in Norman, Okla., that, "We're ready to move on, I think, on both sides."

Hunt, who arrived in Mayfleld's second season with Cleveland, admits the offseason has been a whirlwind of news surrounding arguably the most important position in football. However, he maintains that it's all things he can't allow to become a distraction.

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"I think it's kind of crazy," Hunt said. "But the Browns are trying to find a way to win right now and it's a business. So I'm just trying to do my part, come back healthy and ready to go."

For Hunt, that includes continuing to come back from his own past. He's acknowledged the off-the-field trouble that led to Kansas City getting rid of him remains something he'll have to live with the consequences of for as long as he's in the public light.

With the Browns, other than fighting through an injury-plagued 2021 season, he's been part of one of the NFL's best running back tandems with Nick Chubb.

Hunt is hesitant to fully go in on some kind of reclamation storyline. Instead, he's just trying to keep it focused on the field.

"I would say, I don't know, I guess a redemption story," Hunt said. "I think I learned a lot through the course of the NFL, from college to the NFL to the spotlight. I've always been a small-town guy. Nobody really knows me or whatever. Just come out there and shock everybody. I've always kept that with me. It's more like a comeback and do whatever you can to get a ring, bring it home actually. That's the biggest thing."

Reach Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' Kareem Hunt talks about Deshaun Watson situation