Kansas City Mayor Speaks Out Against Chiefs Player’s Mugshot Going Viral

While the Kansas City Chiefs ended the 2023 season with a Super Bowl win, the ensuing off-season has turned out to be quite chaotic. Several athletes have made the news for all the wrong reasons, with some stirring controversies while others got themselves arrested. Offensive tackles Wanya Morris and Chukwuebuka Godrick are among the recent athletes involved, but their actions have received mixed reactions, with even the mayor of KC weighing in.

Wayne Morris and Chukwuebuka Godrick were arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana in Kansas. They were released last Friday after posting $2500 bail, as reported by ESPN, but the incident spread like wildfire, and soon their mugshots were plastered all over the internet.

However, Mayor Quinton Lucas found it quite disturbing that the mugshots were circulated, considering it was a mere misdemeanor, which is also legal across most parts of the country. On X (formerly Twitter), the mayor wrote,

“There’s absolutely no reason to splash someone’s mugshot all over the internet for any misdemeanor, let alone one that’s legal in over half the country.”

Last season, Morris played limited games as a left tackle, filling in for Donovan Smith, while Godrick, who came through international players’ pathways, remained on the practice squad. They now join Rashee Rice as the second and third players to be arrested this off-season.

Rice was arrested for causing a six-car crash that injured several people. The situation worsened when he became a suspect in an assault case for injuring a man in a nightclub a few weeks later. He now faces one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury, and six counts of collision involving injury.

Aside from arrests, star kicker Harrison Butker stirred up controversy for his allegedly misogynistic speech at the graduation ceremony of Benedictine College.

Nevertheless, while the mayor raised a genuine point, the fans didn’t take it that way, bombarding him with insults and even accusing him of prejudice.

Fans Criticize Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas

Under the mayor’s comment section, the majority of fans were quick to note how mugshots of common people get leaked online almost every day; therefore, Quinton Lucas shouldn’t make excuses for either Wanya Morris or Chukwuebuka Godrick. Some made the assumption that he was making it personal by reminding him of the time when his own mugshots were made public online.

A few even suggested he take a break from social media altogether, while others lashed at the mayor for defending lawbreakers while throwing Harrison Butker under the bus. Only a handful were sympathetic and asserted that smoking weed shouldn’t be a crime nowadays. See for yourselves:

Another chimed in and added,

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As the regular season inches closer, the Chiefs continue to deal with off-field problems—from players getting arrested to stadium issues. The situation seems to be getting out of hand as they prepare to go for a three-peat. However, off-field issues haven’t stopped them from strengthening their squad.

They have signed Marquise Brown, Louis Rees-Zammit, Carson Wentz, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Nazeeh Johnson, and James Winchester. They extended the contracts of Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Drue Tranquill, Deon Bush, Mike Danna, and Mike Pennel.

They also drafted some great talents like speedster Xavier Worthy, OT Kingsley Suamataia, TE Jared Wiley, safety Jaden Hicks, OL Hunter Nourzad, CB Kamal Hadden, and guard C.J. Henson.

Given the strength of their schedule, the Chiefs are well-positioned to clinch the top AFC seed this year. They open their season against the Ravens at Arrowhead.