Cardinals GM Keim returns from suspension, apologizes

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim returned to the team on Wednesday after serving a five-week suspension following his July arrest for driving under the influence.

"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," an emotional Keim told reporters at a news conference. "The truth is, there is nothing I can say that can make what I did right. In fact, taking ownership and my behavior going forward is what ultimately will define me as a man.

"I do want to take this opportunity to personally apologize to our fan base, the entire Cardinals organization and most of all, my family."

Keim was arrested early on the morning of July 4 and had a blood-alcohol content of .193, more than twice the legal limit of .08 and above the .15 extreme DUI benchmark, according to the Chandler (Ariz.) Police report.

He pled guilty to extreme DUI and was suspended and fined $200,000 by the team, which the Cardinals said was donated to the Arizona chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. He was not punished by the league, which supported the team's punishments.

The Cardinals said Keim also had to complete counseling and a DUI education course, as well as take part in DUI awareness in education programs before returning to the team.

Keim, who has been with the organization for 20 years and served as GM since 2013, said it was "torture" being away from the team and called his experience "extremely humbling and embarrassing beyond belief."

Arizona's new head coach, Steve Wilks, voiced his support for his general manager.

"Steve and I, in a short period of time, have become really close," Wilks said. "I know him as a person, beyond the GM role, and for anyone to endure and go through what he did ... we're not saying we feel sorry for him, because again, it was poor judgment, but I can't commend him enough with the way he has stepped up and taken ownership.

"It touched my heart the fact of how it affected his family. When you start talking about kids ... it really hits home. I think he's grown from it."

Keim signed a contract extension in February that runs through the 2022 season.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)