KDKA on Twitter: "#BREAKING: Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is facing assault charges for allegedly attacking DeVincent Spriggs over the weekend in #Pittsburgh. — per his attorney. https://t.co/CYuoYy7BLZ https://t.co/jDtyrSzgnx" / Twitter
If I sign a great player to a huge deal I am going to have a 'no nightclubs until you retire' clause in it. If they don't want that well then it's worth trading them for value now. Yes, it sucks not to be able to go out but you're a huge target and people will glom onto that when everybody gets drunk enough. Some people will stay sober waiting for a huge civil settlement to come their way. That, BTW, is where this is going to end up and I doubt Aaron Donald can 50% prove he didn't instigate the fight that caused the damage the defendant sustained.
I don't put a lot of stock into this being a big issue. That might be insensitive and by the rule of law, he's at fault because he fucked the guy up. But this sounds like a classic situation where they squared up and the guy got pummeled. It doesn't sound like he mugged him from behind or anything like that.
You're not going to have that in any contract covered by the CBA. Donald doesn't need to prove he didn't instigate anything; he has the presumption of innocence on his side.