Miami Dolphins Suspend Linebacker Lawrence Timmons Indefinitely After Unauthorized Absence
It appears that Lawrence Timmons is not getting off with a simple slap on the wrist after he went missing before their game against the Los Angeles Chargers this past Sunday.
The Miami Dolphins have announced that Timmons has been suspended indefinitely for not showing up for the match. In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, the team can suspend Timmons for up to four weeks without pay.
TMZ was the first to report that the Dolphins filed a missing persons report with the police last weekend after they found out that Timmons wasn't in his room by curfew. They eventually found him at the Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday morning, and he reportedly wanted to fly to Pennsylvania because he wanted to visit his baby.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
With Timmons out, the Dolphins had to rely on Kiko Alonso, Mike Hull and Chase Allen as they eked out a 19–17 win against the Chargers.
The Dolphins are not happy with Timmons, but they are leaving the door open for a possible return sometime this season.
"I think every situation is different. And I would say you can be forgiven if the right steps are taken," Dolphins coach Adam Gase said, via ESPN. "We've handled it the way we feel like we need to handle it. Really, I don't have anything to add to that," he added.
Meanwhile, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo said Timmons has explained to the Dolphins the reason for his absence, but they just didn't think his excuse was good enough.
"They did offer an excuse for his whereabouts and it's pretty clear that the Dolphins took their time to investigate everything and in the end determined that was not a good enough excuse. And that's why they suspended him," Garafolo said.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins have acquired Stephone Anthony from the New Orleans Saints for an undisclosed draft pick. He should get the chance to play significant minutes while Timmons serves his suspension.
