Cardinals GM Steve Keim recalls son's pointed comment in return from DUI suspension
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim returned to the team facility on Tuesday, after his team-imposed five-week suspension for extreme DUI. Keim was arrested on July 4 with a blood-alcohol level of .193.
In Arizona, a BAC over .15 is extreme DUI.
Keim met with media on Wednesday.
‘He shouldn’t have been doing it’
Keim, who was also fined $200,000 by the Cardinals which was to be donated to the Arizona chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said he met with team staff on Tuesday and players on Wednesday.
He told reporters that he was most sorry for how his actions had affected his family, including his wife and four children. He recalled an exchange one of his sons had with a friend.
“After the reports came out, my 12-year-old son was texting his buddy, and he said, ‘they keep showing your dad over and over again on TV. I’m so sorry he’s having to go through that’, Keim said, his voice catching in his throat.
“My son said, ‘I’m not. He shouldn’t have been doing it.’
“And my son was right. And I don’t think there’s any feeling that’s worse, if you feel like you let your children down.”
‘Nothing I can say will make what I did right’
In addition to his suspension and fine, Keim, who is 45 years old, also spent two days in jail, a week of home detention and had to undergo counseling and evaluation.
In his opening statement, Keim again apologized for his behavior.
“For the past 50 days, I’ve replayed over and over in my mind what would I say? Or how could I apologize in a way that people would understand or forgive me for my inexcusable actions,” he said. “And the truth is there is nothing I can say that will make what I did right. In fact, taking ownership and my behavior moving forward are what ultimately will define me as a man.”
Keim apologized to Cardinals’ fans and those within the organization in addition to his family.
Rookie head coach Steve Wilks, who Keim hired earlier this year, offered support for his friend but made it clear he did not excuse what Keim did.
“Steve and I, in a short period of time, have become real close. We’re not saying we feel sorry for him, but I can’t commend him enough for stepping up and taking ownership and being the man that he is,” Wilks said. “It touched my heart to hear how it affected his family. When you start talking about kids and things like that, it hits home. I think he’s grown from it. As he mentioned, he’s going to be a better person, a better man.”
Getting back up to speed
Arizona’s GM since 2013 but a member of the organization for 20 years, Keim was not allowed to have contact with the team during his suspension, and now must get caught up with the roster and how things will shake out with the regular season rapidly approaching.
The Cardinals play their third preseason game on Sunday against Dallas, and teams must cut their roster from the current 90 players to the 53-man regular-season limit on Sept. 1.
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