Mike Hall Jr., Browns awaiting word from NFL on potential Commissioner's Exempt List move

Mike Hall Jr. wasn't held off the field by the Browns after his arrest for domestic violence on Aug. 13. The NFL, though, still hasn't had its say.

There remains a possibility the rookie defensive tackle could end up on the Commissioner's Exempt list to open the season. This is typically reserved for players in "special circumstances" that don't fall under one of the injury-related lists, often when it involves players dealing with off-the-field situations.

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported Monday the Browns expect the Streetsboro High School and Ohio State University product to end up on the Commissioner's Exempt List. The Browns have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to have their roster down to the initial 53-man limit.

“I don’t really have an update on Mike in that regard," Stefanski said on a Zoom call Monday. "We’ll see how it goes.”

The NFL, through a spokesman, declined to comment when asked about an update from the league. It had previous stated, on Aug. 13, "We have been in contact with the club regarding the matter which will be reviewed under the Personal Conduct Policy."

Per the NFL's personal conduct policy, a player can be placed on the Commissioner's Exempt list “when a player is formally charged with: (1) a felony offense; or (2) a crime of violence, meaning that he is accused of having used physical force . . . to injure or threaten a person.” Only Commissioner Roger Goodell has the authority to place a player on the list and "has the authority to determine in advance whether a player's time on the Exempt List will be finite or will continue until the Commissioner deems the exemption should be lifted and the player returned to the Active List."

Hall , 21, was arrested by Avon police Aug. 13 on a charge of domestic violence. The incident, which involve him and his fiancee, as well as his fiancee's mother, took place the previous day at the residence they share.

According to the police reports, officers were dispatched to the house co-owned by Hall and his fiancee, with whom he had a son last September. The caller, the mother of his fiancee, said, per the report, Hall "had pushed her daughter (name redacted) and struck her with a baby bottle."

The official statement in the police report said Hall was verbally abusive at times during the incident, dragging her by her feet from the house and down the driveway at one point. He also, later, punched a hole in a bedroom door and put a gun to her head while, according to the report, saying, "I will (expletive) end it all. I don't care."

Hall had left the residence before the police arrived. He was arrested the next morning by Avon police before being arraigned in Avon Lake Municipal Court, where he posted a $10,000 personal bond and was given a no-contact order with his fiancee.

According to multiple reports, the alleged victim went back to Avon police four days later and gave another statement. WKYC-TV reported she recanted her previous statement in that meeting with police.

The Browns' second-round pick in April out of Streetsboro High School and Ohio State was back in the building the day after his arrest, and practiced that afternoon on the first of two joint practices against the Minnesota Vikings. He left the practice with what was termed as a "stinger," but played in the preseason game on Aug. 17.

Hall played 84 combined defensive snaps over the three preseason games, and another nine special teams snaps. He finished with two assisted tackles and two quarterbacks hits.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Mike Hall Jr., Browns awaiting word from NFL on potential Commissioner's Exempt List move