The attorneys for Joe Mixon, who has rushed for a team-leading 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns for the Oklahoma Sooners this year, released a surveillance video yesterday that shows the star OU running back punching a female student in 2014.
During an altercation at a sandwich shop near Oklahoma’s campus in Norman, Mixon punched the woman after he claims that she spit on him, hurled racial insults and struck him. He was charged with a misdemeanor at the time of the incident, and the university suspended him for the entire 2014 season.
“Mr. Mixon asked us to once again say he is sorry for the way he acted that night,” a statement through his attorneys said. “He has publicly apologized to Ms. Molitor, her friends, his family, teammates, and the University. He hopes that his voluntary release of these recordings will help put this matter to rest.”
The university issued the following statement last night:
“University officials were made aware of the content of the video prior to taking action with respect to Joe Mixon [in 2014]. Based on that information, the university immediately suspended and removed Mr. Mixon from the football team for one year, during which high standards of conduct were expected and maintained. It was made clear to Mr. Mixon at the time of his suspension that violence against women will not go unpunished at the university. Coach [Bob] Stoops has been proactive in presenting training for his team aimed at preventing such behavior in the future. Sensitivity training in the area of violence has been intensified and best practices will continue to be implemented. Mr. Mixon has apologized for his actions, and the university hopes that it is an indication that he has learned from his mistakes. We are an educational institution, where we hope young people will learn from their mistakes and chart a better future course.”
Mixon, 20, pleaded guilty to the charge without making an admission of guilt. He received a one-year deferred sentence and was required to perform 100 hours of community service and undergo counseling.
“In our situation, we felt this [the suspension] was the right way to proceed,” Stoops said last year in reference to the university’s handling of the Mixon incident. “In the end, we felt that he’s been disciplined. He was removed totally from all team activities from that point on. And he’s earned a way to be back to have an opportunity for a second chance to redeem himself with strict guidelines that go with it.”
Eligible for the upcoming NFL draft as a redshirt sophomore, Mixon is considered one of the best running backs in the country and was expected to be among the top players selected at his position.
We’ll see how the release of the video impacts his employment prospects with the NFL.
