Roger Goodell won't punish Kenny Britt

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has told Kenny Britt and the Tennessee Titans that he will not punish the receiver for his arrests during the lockout.

League spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday night that the commissioner has decided not to impose discipline at this time.

"The commissioner restated his expectation that Britt will be responsible for his actions going forward and noted that future incidents will lead to appropriate discipline," Aiello wrote in an email.

Britt was the first player from Rutgers ever taken in the first round of the NFL draft in 2009, and he has had seven incidents involving police. Two arrests came during the lockout in his home state of New Jersey, with two arrest warrants in Tennessee for inaccurate information on his driver's license application.

Goodell summoned Britt to New York for a meeting Tuesday, and Britt said a day later he felt it was a good session with a quick decision expected on whether he'd be punished. The receiver also said the commissioner warned Britt that he better not see him in his office again. The Titans hosted the Chicago Bears on Saturday night with Britt scratched as he recovers from a sore right hamstring and quad muscle, and Britt said after Tennessee's 14-13 win that he was happy the situation was resolved.

"I hope I don't get nobody's nothing, no call or anything again in life unless it's 'Good job on the field,'" Britt said about the commissioner's warning.

"There's always a doubt in your mind that things might happen to you. But hey, I left it to the man upstairs and prayed about it, and it came out good on my behalf."

Coach Mike Munchak said now the Titans can look forward to getting Britt back on the field hopefully Thursday night in the preseason finale at New Orleans.

"It's nice to have that behind us and have it behind Kenny," Munchak said. "We all know there can't be anymore mishaps."

Matt Hasselbeck said Britt is a great player he can't wait to start working with on the field.

"One of my hopes is that he can get out there and start taking reps with the offense instead of taking reps with the scout team," Hasselbeck said. "We didn't have an offseason. We didn't have OTAs. Now we haven't really had a training camp together, so it would be great to get on the same page."

Britt

Britt's incidents involved outstanding traffic warrants, driving without a license, failing to pay bail promised for a friend, and a bar fight in which no charges were brought against Britt after a grand jury investigation.

But in April, Britt was arrested in his hometown of Bayonne, N.J., and charged with eluding an officer and hindering apprehension when police accused him of driving his Porsche 71 mph in a 50-mph zone before leaving the officer. Britt later was found walking on a side street away from his car. Charges were reduced to a misdemeanor and a fine.

A day after those charges were reduced, two plainclothes officers at a Hoboken car wash smelled marijuana and accused Britt of holding a rolled cigar they thought was the source. Britt was wrestled to the floor and handcuffed, and police believed a man with Britt may have disposed of the cigar.

Britt's charges included resisting arrest, and he faces a Sept. 20 court date after pleading not guilty.

Asked about spending more time in Tennessee instead of New Jersey, Britt said his house is here now with his wife and daughter.

"So I'll be here for the rest of my life I guess. They are liking it," Britt said.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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