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Cardinals GM Steve Keim pleads guilty to extreme DUI, suspended five weeks

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, who pleaded guilty to extreme DUI last week, has been suspended from the team for five weeks and fined $200,000. (Getty Images)
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, who pleaded guilty to extreme DUI last week, has been suspended from the team for five weeks and fined $200,000. (Getty Images)

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has been suspended for five weeks and fined $200,000 after pleading guilty to extreme DUI on Tuesday.

His $200,000 fine will be donated to the Arizona chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Keim will be banned from team facilities and from contacting the team during his suspension, and will need to complete counseling, an evaluation and a DUI education course before he can return. It is unclear whether the suspension will begin immediately or will take place for the first five weeks of the season.

“Once again, I apologize to everyone who has been negatively impacted by my actions and incredibly poor judgment, in particular the Cardinals, our fans and my family,” Keim said in a statement. “I fully deserve and accept the punishment that has been issued. My goal is to do everything I can to grow from this personally and help others learn from my inexcusable behavior.”

Keim was originally stopped by police on July 4 near his home in Chandler, Arizona, and charged with driving under the influence. He pleaded guilty to extreme DUI on Tuesday — which is the charge in Arizona when blood alcohol content is above .15. His BAC was .19, more than twice the legal limit, according to KTAR.

Police initially said that Keim lied to them about who he was and said that he was the team’s director of security. However police issued a correction last week that confirmed Keim did not lie about who he was and that the initial error was the result of a misunderstanding by the arresting officer.

“As stated at the time of the incident, this behavior is indefensible and completely unacceptable,” the Cardinals said in a statement. “While Steve has accepted full accountability and responsibility for his actions, that does not diminish their gravity nor the severity of the consequences that result from them.

“Those who work within the National Football League – particularly those in leadership positions – bear a greater responsibility and are held to a higher standard than simply a legal one and we feel that these measures are reflective of that.”

Keim has been with the Cardinals since 1999, and was promoted to general manager in 2013. He agreed to a four-year contract extension through the 2022 season earlier this year.

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