Broncos' Matt Russell faces legal troubles, NFL discipline for arrest By Jeff Legwold and Kieran Nicholson The Denver Post July 9, 2013 Broncos officials spent much of Monday sorting through the circumstances surrounding director of player personnel Matt Russell's DUI arrest Saturday night in Summit County. Russell, who turned 40 on Friday and was promoted into his current job by the team's executive vice president of football operations, John Elway, in January 2012, faces multiple charges including DUI and careless driving resulting in injury. Russell's 2008 Toyota Tundra struck a Breckenridge police SUV. And beyond any impending legal ramifications, Russell's job — which he called a "dream job" in April — is now at risk. He faces the prospect of punishment from Summit County authorities, the Broncos and the NFL. "Our organization is extremely disappointed and concerned with the incident involving Matt Russell," the Broncos said in a statement released Monday afternoon. "We immediately expressed our disappointment to Matt, and he is fully aware of the seriousness of this situation. This type of behavior is unacceptable and very troubling." Russell was arrested for DUI on Saturday after allegedly hitting two cars in Summit County in separate collisions just minutes apart — the second with the Breckenridge police vehicle. According to Colorado State Patrol reports, Russell first ran into a car in Frisco. A few minutes later, just before 7:30 p.m., he rear-ended the police SUV as he approached Breckenridge. "I'm ashamed that I represented this region and the Broncos' organization in the manner that I did," Russell said in the statement released by the Broncos. "I take complete responsibility for my actions and will be fully accountable. Going forward, I will take steps to ensure this never happens again." A Breckenridge police officer was injured in the collision with the police department SUV, said Trooper Nate Reid, a Colorado State Patrol spokesman. Russell hit the police SUV at 7:24 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Colorado 9 and Fairview Boulevard. The officer was taken to a hospital, treated and released, Reid said. Further details on the injuries were not available. Russell was arrested and booked into the Summit County jail. Reid said Russell is also accused of fleeing the scene of the earlier collision in Frisco. Russell faces charges of driving under the influence, having an open container of alcohol in his car, careless driving resulting in injury and failure to display proof of insurance. He spent Saturday night in jail in Breckenridge before posting a $1,000 bond Sunday. Russell faces discipline from the team and the NFL in addition to any sentence he may receive in court. The league's personal conduct policy applies to "players, coaches, other team employees, owners, game officials and all others privileged to work in the National Football League." The policy also says potential discipline includes "fines, suspension or banishment from the League and may include a probationary period and conditions that must be satisfied prior to or following reinstatement. The specifics of the disciplinary response will be based on the nature of the incident, the actual or threatened risk to the participant and others, any prior or additional misconduct (whether or not criminal charges were filed) and other relevant factors." In 2010, Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand was suspended for 30 days and fined $100,000 by the NFL after he pleaded guilty to driving while impaired. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said this past season he was in favor of stiffer penalties from the league for drunk-driving incidents, saying, "I don't think it's a secret we've felt the discipline in this area needs to be revisited and escalated on a first offense." The league has also announced a stronger partnership with MADD — Mothers Against Drunk Driving — this year, and MADD had a presence at the recent NFL rookie symposium. After a standout career at the University of Colorado, Russell was drafted by Detroit in the fourth round of the 1997 draft. He was on the NFL's all-rookie team but had to retire in 2000 because of knee injures. He was hired by the Broncos in 2009 to oversee the college scouting department. Matt Russell, Broncos exec, arrested in Breckenridge on DUI charges By Jeff Legwold and Kieran Nicholson The Denver Post July 8, 2013 Matt Russell, the Denver Broncos' director of player personnel, was arrested for DUI Saturday night after allegedly hitting two cars in Summit County — one of them a Breckenridge police car. According to Colorado State Patrol reports, Russell — who turned 40 on Friday — first ran into a car in Frisco. A few minutes later, he rear-ended a police car as he approached Breckenridge. "I'm ashamed that I represented this region and the Broncos organization in the manner that I did," Russell said in a statement released by the Broncos Monday afternoon. "I take complete responsibility for my actions and will be fully accountable. Going forward, I will take steps to ensure this never happens again." A Breckenridge police officer was injured in the collision with the police department SUV, said Trooper Nate Reid, a Colorado State Patrol spokesman. Russell hit the police SUV about 7:24 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Colorado 9 and Fairview Boulevard. The officer was taken to a local hospital, treated and released, Reid said. Further details on the injuries were not available. Russell, who was driving a 2008 Toyota Tundra, was arrested and booked into Summit County Jail. Reid said Russell is also accused of fleeing the scene of the earlier collision in Frisco. Russell faces charges of driving under the influence, having an open container of alcohol in his car, careless driving resulting in injury and failure to display proof of insurance. Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway promoted Russell to his current position in January 2012. Russell joined the Broncos as the team's college scouting director in 2009. His position with the team could be at risk now given the seriousness of the charges. Russell will also be subject to the NFL's personal conduct policy, which could result in suspension and/or fine for off-the-field arrests. "Our organization is extremely disappointed and concerned with the incident involving Matt Russell," the Broncos said in a statement. "We immediately expressed our disappointment to Matt, and he is fully aware of the seriousness of this situation. This type of behavior is unacceptable and very troubling." NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said publicly on many occasions the league's discipline policy applies to not only players, but also other team and league personnel. There have been 39 arrests of NFL players since Jan. 1, 2013, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune database. Russell spent Saturday night in jail in Breckenridge and posted bond on Sunday. The Colorado State Patrol is investigating the accidents. After a standout career at the University of Colorado, Russell was drafted by Detroit in the fourth round of the 1997 draft. He was on the NFL's all-rookie team but had to retire in 2000 because of knee injures. For Broncos’ Matt Russell, an NFL precedent of fines and suspensions after arrest By Mike Klis The Denver Post July 8, 2013 At the very least, Broncos executive Matt Russell figures to receive a fine and suspension following the series of driving- and drinking-related charges filed against him this weekend. In 2010, Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand was suspended 30 days and fined $100,000 by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after he pled guilty to a driving while impaired charge stemming from an incident when he swerved lanes and was found to have a blood-alcohol content of .21. The league penalized Lewand after he met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in New York, The charges against Russell — who as director of player personnel is the right-hand man of Broncos’ football operations boss John Elway — would seem to be more egregious. Russell has been charged with driving under the influence, careless driving resulting in injury, having an open container of alcohol and failure to display proof of insurance following an incident Saturday night in Summitt County. Russell allegedly hit one car in Frisco and later a Brenckenridge police car. The police officer was injured in the incident and taken to a local hospital where he was later released. “I deeply regret the poor judgment I demonstrated that resulted in my arrest over the weekend,” Russell said in a statement issued by the Broncos. “I apologize to the Denver Broncos, our fans and the National Football League for this inexcusable mistake. I’m ashamed that I represented this region and the Broncos organization in the manner that I did. I take complete responsibility for my actions and will be fully accountable.” Although Russell has not been convicted of any crimes, the NFL does not need one to find one of its players, coaches, scouts and management personnel in violation of the league’s personal conduct policy. Ryan Clady contract talks progress as Broncos sweeten deal By Mike Klis The Denver Post July 8, 2013 Contract negotiations between the Denver Broncos and left tackle Ryan Clady resumed Monday with the team sweetening its offer. An NFL source said the Broncos improved their five-year, $50 million proposal from a year ago. The proposal would make Clady either the NFL's second-highest paid offensive lineman to Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas or third-highest depending on how one views Jason Peters' contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.