Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch, who in late June accepted a plea deal and paid a $100 fine for a late May hit and run incident, will not be punished by the NFL.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who is visiting Bills training camp in Pittsford today, confirmed to the media that Lynch has not violated the NFL's personal conduct policy. The Commissioner did, however, visit shortly with Lynch to discuss the running back's responsibilities as an NFL player.
Lynch in June pleaded guilty to a traffic violation after a late May incident in which his Porsche SUV struck and injured Toronto native Kimberly Shpeley. After weeks of speculation about his punishment - not to mention Lynch's lawyer-ordered refusal to speak to anyone about the situation - Lynch paid his modest fine and has had his driver's license revoked.
The fact that Lynch avoided league suspension is the latest in a line of good news for the Bills as they resolve an off-season's worth of off-field issues prior to the start of the 2008 season. Lynch deserved the negative publicity he garnered during the month of June, but with this news breaking, it's finally time to do what I suggested we do about this issue at the beginning of July: move on.
No news has been reported since Lynch's legal punishment was handed down on whether or not he will face a civil suit from Shpeley and her attorney.