Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Says Dog Abandonment Story Was Fake News
January 29th, 2020
About four weeks ago, Bucs defensive tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches was skewered in the media and by animal rights groups for allegedly abandoning his dog in Tampa.
The Bucs said they were investigating but never spoke out to clear their player’s name.
Perhaps the squadron of Team Glazer investigators is too busy investigating why Doug Martin was brought back for the 2017 season, why Michael Bennett was allowed to walk in free agency, or why DeSean Jackson was allowed to infect One Buc Palace?
Or maybe they’re combing the earth for one coaching-staff upgrade for Bucco Bruce Arians? (Is it really possible Arians believes his 30 coaches are the each the best in the business at their craft?)
Today, per ProFootballTalk.com, Nuñez-Roches spoke out with a lengthy statement of his innocence and how he was railroaded by the media.
Here’s an excerpt:
“… Jitterbug is a Cane Corso, which is an Italian Mastiff and not a pit bull as was incorrectly reported, and we gave her to a family that wanted one. We have no idea how she ended up in an animal shelter, but we absolutely did not and would never abandon her or any other dog. We have all of our dogs identified with microchips, so we’re guessing the animal shelter saw our name if they scanned Jitterbug. The family that adopted Jitterbug from the shelter reached out to us, and we have been talking and texting with them ever since. We provided the family with her vet records, food preferences, the commands she responds to, and they have sent us photos of her with their other Cane Corso.
“We are dog lovers and think it’s fantastic that there are so many groups out there that love dogs and animals too, but people need to do their homework before falsely accusing others. We love and have taken care of dogs for years, but because a few overzealous people mistakenly assumed we had abandoned a dog that was no longer ours, we have received threats and had our reputations smeared in the media. We are homebodies and quiet people and we don’t seek attention, but because a few people continue to smear our names without reason, we felt we had no choice but to set the record straight. …”
There’s more via the link above.
Joe hopes the Bucs step up and share results of their investigation.
General manager Jason Licht made a public statement two years ago when an acquaintance of DeSean Jackson’s had a car accident. If that’s the standard to get the team talking, then Joe thinks it’s reasonable for the Bucs to give fans answers about Nuñez-Roches’ being accused of animal cruelty.
January 29th, 2020 at 2:41 pm
Good story, but why is it tarnished by trying to run off Bucco Bruce already. ????—Joe He has been here barely a year and you already believe that he hates running the ball, and could care less about TEs. Could it be that Howard couldn’t understand the route concept enough to be trusted? Or that while there was a RB need, the secondary was in need of the full overhaul first? Give him this next season and then run him off. I think you are clouded by your mancrush on Jamies and are pissed it’s even a possibility he is considering someone else and wasting your idiotic “americas qb” nickname.
January 29th, 2020 at 2:47 pm
That sort of thing happened with my dog. I was living in an apartment at the time and had a Jack Russell which is a high energy dog. We ended up selling her to a family who had land that she could run around on. Well I got a call a 3 am one morning from a guy saying he found my dog. I told him I didn’t have a dog. He stated well the collar says to call this number if found. So my family and I had come to the conclusion she had been dump somewhere so I met up with the guy a few days later and she has been with me ever since.
January 29th, 2020 at 2:48 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Nuñez-Roches is Pablo’s favorite Buc (surprised)……..he replaces Cairo Santos on Pablo’s list…….Pablo believes that there is racism at play here…..if this were about Cam Brate and his french poodle, FiFi…..there would be no issue….The only problem Pablo has is that Nunez-Roches owns an Italian Mastiff instead of a chihuahua……what self-respecting hombres owns a mafia dog.”
January 29th, 2020 at 3:01 pm
Here is the difference between “fake News” organizations and real news organizations. Those that reported the original version are now required by the conventions of good journalism to issue the new story..in the same spot they ran the original.
That is to say if it was on page four the retraction/correction could be on page 4. If it was front page news it should be corrected on the front page.
I feel badly for this guy and his story makes great sense. Better than Pam Bondi’s reasoning for keeping a New Orleans Family’s St. Bernard which became homeless and lost in the confusion of hurricane Katrina. They had to get a legal group to help them get their family pet returned.
January 29th, 2020 at 3:52 pm
Weird how if you leave your dog on the side of the road that’s “abuse” but if you drop it off at a kill shelter then it’s fine.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:02 pm
Didn’t we also have one of our own posters jump on the high horse on these here pages? Let’s hear an apology out them.
In BA I Trust!
January 29th, 2020 at 4:06 pm
It’s an easy out for the FO, when they don’t bring him back.
January 29th, 2020 at 5:29 pm
ThAT… is PRECISELY why…
I was so uncomfortable with everyone just SKEWWING this kid. I always thought there was much more to the story. It felt incomplete.
Clearly,,,, there was more to the story.
Maybe,, just maybe,,, before we burn someone at the stake… we can wait and see what really happened?
Would be really damn nice if the BUCS (who employ this kid) would bother to say something in his defense.
January 29th, 2020 at 5:33 pm
(SKEWERING)
January 29th, 2020 at 7:59 pm
Chris Godwin is put at ease.
January 29th, 2020 at 8:02 pm
If you think an nfl player would make a conscious decision to neglect or abuse anything that resembles a pit bull…. then you simply expect the worst of people. Do you honestly believe that NFL players would show the slightest hint of neglect toward a dog, after the Vick incident? Keep in mind, that these NFL players are potentially making millions, and spent a few years as educated people in college. I know… I know…. football dumb jocks eat crayons and do dumb stuff. Sorry no, if I was an NFL player, I’d own a rat sized poodle or chihuahua… because I want to keep my paycheck. On the media flip side, they saw something that resembled a pit bull, and jumped to unsubstantiated conclusions. They saw a potential Vick sized story, and ran with it… regardless of the truth behind it.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:48 pm
Called it.
January 30th, 2020 at 10:14 am
especially for the fact that godwin and his girlfriend are big dog and animal rights people who use their foundation for.
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:11 pm
Why were the dogs teeth removed? Rakeem Nunez-Roches is a dog breeder – if he was a responsible owner he would have found a suitable family for the dog. No one in their right mind would leave a dog on a highway that was given to them by an NFL player with a microchip knowing the dog would be traced back to the original owner. He stated that “he loves dogs” . . . he gave this dog away and never checked on it? The chip was never updated . . . they shelter called him and said he would pickup the dog but never did.