Team stance and playing status
General manager Chris Ballard said the team expects Keenan Allen to play in the season opener on Sept. 13, despite Allen’s arrest early Sunday on drunken driving charges.
Asked directly whether Allen would be available for the opener, Ballard was unequivocal: “He’ll play, yes.” Ballard also said any internal discipline will not include missing playing time and noted the club offers players rideshare services.
Legal situation and possible league action
Allen was released from custody Sunday afternoon and has not spoken publicly since. He is facing preliminary misdemeanor charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a person.
The arrest could lead to a league-imposed suspension; that remains a possibility while legal proceedings move forward. Ballard characterized the team’s handling of the matter as internal.
Team officials also emphasized that this is the first time in Allen’s 14-year professional career he has been cited in a legal matter.
