It appears Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers will not face any punishment following an investigation into an alleged domestic assault.
The NFL announced Thursday that it could not find enough evidence that Flowers violated its personal conduct policy, two months after Baltimore County police announced they had suspended their investigation without criminal charges.
The full statement from the NFL:
“Following an investigation, the NFL concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that Zay Flowers engaged in activities that violated the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. No action will be taken by the league and Flowers remains eligible to participate in all team activities. .”
Both investigations could theoretically be reopened if new evidence came to light, but for now Flowers seems clear. The NFL does not require a player to be charged with a crime in order to punish him.
The incident at the center of the investigation is said to have occurred on January 16 in Owings Mills, Maryland, according to the Baltimore Sun. Police documents show the alleged victim reported a “violent domestic incident” while in Acton, Massachusetts. She reportedly declined to identify the suspect other than to say he was an NFL player and “all over social media.”
Police reportedly reached the alleged victim again by phone on January 30. When asked about the report she made, she reportedly said there were “no further issues” and did not reveal any further details. Flowers also reportedly declined to speak to investigators through his attorney.
Flowers is entering his second season after a strong rookie year in which he set Ravens franchise records for catches and receiving yards by a rookie, but his season ended in disaster with a fumble on the goal line against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
