The Detroit Lions' breaking point for all of their offseason off-field issues was cornerback Aaron Berry's arrest over the weekend. The Lions decided to release Berry on Monday not only because it was his second arrest in the last month, but also because this particular incident involved a gun and resulted in simple assault charges.
It appears that another reason why the Lions decided to cut Berry was that some players who haven't been in trouble were getting fed up with the off-field incidents. CBS Sports' Mike Freeman reports that the Lions "consulted some veteran players" before deciding to release Berry, and he also reported this on Monday:
I'm told there is great frustration in Lions locker room about arrests. Most Lions players don't get in trouble and they're furious...
— mike freeman (@realfreemancbs) July 23, 2012
One Lions player told me just now: "This s--- has to stop. We're becoming the laughing stock of not only the NFL but all of sports."
— mike freeman (@realfreemancbs) July 23, 2012
The player is right. The Lions are no strangers to being the butt of jokes, but not because of their behavior off the field. In the past, it was always because of their mediocre play on the field. Now, the Lions have thankfully become a winning team, but their actions off the field this offseason have been downright embarrassing. It was time to make a statement, and they did just that by letting Berry go.
Reminder: You can follow Pride of Detroit on Twitter and like us on Facebook.