CINCINNATI – Receiver Chris Henry allegedly was involved in an altercation with a parking attendant on the eve of rejoining the Cincinnati Bengals from his eight-game suspension.
Henry practiced with the Bengals yesterday and will be eligible to play Sunday in Baltimore. Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for the first half of the season for repeatedly violating the NFL’s conduct policy.
The third-year receiver stayed out of trouble during the suspension and was allowed to practice with the team for the last two weeks. He sat out a 33-21 loss in Buffalo on Sunday that dropped his last-place team to 2-6.
On Tuesday night, police in Newport, Ky., a suburb on the other side of the Ohio River within view of Paul Brown Stadium, were called to an entertainment district following a dispute over a parking fee.
A parking attendant told police that Henry and another man parked their sport utility vehicle without paying. According to an incident report, the attendant said Henry argued loudly with him and said, “Don’t you know who I am?”
The attendant told police that Henry threw a $5 bill on the ground, but it was returned to him and police were called.
No charges have been filed. Police told 35-year-old Jason Baker of Bellevue, Ky., that he could file a complaint with prosecutors if he wanted to pursue the matter. A message seeking comment was left with Baker yesterday.
The Bengals were aware of the report but had no comment, noting that no charges had been filed.
When Henry talked to reporters after practice yesterday, he agreed to answer questions about football only. Henry, the team’s No. 3 receiver, took some of the blame for Cincinnati’s poor showing during his absence.
“I realize it,” he said. “That’s why it was killing me not being able to play. I kind of feel I let my teammates down by getting suspended.”
