The Arizona Cardinals will be without star wideout DeAndre Hopkins for the first six games of the 2022 season as he serves a suspension for a positive PED test. They will be without their leading receiver from 2021 as Christian Kirk opted to join the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. They knew they were going to need a standout wide receiver this year and that’s why they traded their 2021 first-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the latter’s top wide receiver from last year, Marquise Brown.
Brown was expected to take the Cardinals’ leading receiver role right away while Hopkins served his suspension. As of this morning though, Brown is doing his best Antonio Brown impersonation. Brown was arrested this morning in north Phoenix for criminal speeding.
So, how does anyone get arrested for speeding? You have to be going pretty dang fast to have that happen, right? What even determines criminal speeding? It varies from state to state, but in Arizona, criminal speeding is defined as either exceeding 85 miles per hour in any capacity, driving 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, or driving over 35 miles per hour in a school zone.
Update 8/3/23: TMZ obtained body cam footage of the incident.
The arresting officer can be heard asking “The hell you going that fast for?” According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Brown was clocked doing 126 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.
“I was on my way to football practice, sir,” Hollywood said.
“You know better than going that fast,” the officer replied.
Brown pleaded guilty to an excessive speeding charge back in February. The judge waived the $473 fine, and gave the WR credit for time served.
According to the Heath Law Firm, criminal speeding is a class 3 misdemeanor. The maximum penalty is 30 days in jail, a $500 fine (plus an 83 percent surcharge), and up to one year of probation. The minimum penalty is either court-ordered driving school or a terminal disposition (basically, you were convicted, but given no penalties). The most common penalty is a fine and a conviction on your record, which in Arizona, can never be stricken. It’s very rare that someone gets arrested for criminal speeding, which makes Hollywood Brown’s case all the more puzzling.
Still, even if Brown is given the maximum penalty, which is unlikely given that he has no prior arrests or a significant traffic record, this shouldn’t affect Brown’s availability for the upcoming NFL season, unless the NFL or Arizona Cardinals take further disciplinary action. That seems doubtful.
The Cardinals released a statement when news of Brown’s arrest broke, stating “We are aware of the situation regarding Hollywood Brown and have reported it to the NFL office as required.” They continued saying they would make further comments as they received more information.
With Brown’s arrest, Hopkins’ suspension, and the public’s concern over quarterback Kyler Murray’s film study tendencies, the Cardinals may have an early case for the most dysfunctional organization of 2022. It’s a long season ahead of us though, and I’m sure the Dolphins with their Brian Flores situation, or the Commanders with...everything that organization touches will make a run for the title soon enough.