KC Chiefs WR Justyn Ross Placed on Commissioner’s Exempt List
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross returned to practice on Wednesday after his arrest earlier in the week, although he won't be able to continue working alongside his teammates for the immediate future.
Early on Friday afternoon, news broke that Ross was being placed on the commissioner's exempt list. While on the list, the second-year wideout is prohibited from practicing or attending games with the team. He also will not count against Kansas City's 53-man roster total.
In a bit of a surprise, the NFL has placed Justyn Ross on the commissioner's exempt list following his legal incident earlier this week. Ross is not allowed to practice or attend games while on the commissioner's exempt list.
On Monday afternoon, just a day after the Chiefs' Week 7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Ross was arrested and booked on a preliminary charge of felony criminal property damage in excess of $25,000. By the time his Tuesday afternoon arraignment hearing arrived, the list of charges became a pair of misdemeanors: criminal damage of less than $1,000 and domestic battery with no priors. Ross pled not guilty to both charges and was released from Johnson County jail around 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday.
Head coach Andy Reid shared his first public comments on the Ross situation on Wednesday, saying that "all the situations are different" and adding that the team is still gathering information before making a decision on what to do with its 23-year-old receiver.
"With Justyn Ross, just addressing that up front... we're taking in all the information and have been," Reid said. "He's back here, he'll work today and we'll just take it from there. Other than that, I really don't have any information for you other than what we've gathered."
According to an August article from Pro Football Network, Roger Goodell is the only person capable of deciding who is or isn't placed on the commissioner's exempt list. While Ross isn't able to practice or be at games, he is allowed to attend meetings or receive treatment at the Chiefs facility. The absence of football activities only extends to games or practices. Ross will be paid while on the commissioner's exempt list, as it simply serves as an added runway for the NFL to continue to piece together information on the situation.
Ross has been active for all seven of the Chiefs' games so far this season, hauling in three passes for 34 yards. The former Clemson star entered the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
