Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has warned his side that no player is guaranteed a place in the team if they can't stay disciplined on and off the field.
The Ravens have been dogged by ill-discipline throughout the off-season, with running back Ray Rice, wide receiver Deonte Thompson and offensive lineman Jah Reid all being arrested in the space of 22 days.
Harbaugh admitted that he was concerned by the number of incidents involving his players and believes that the vast majority are down to alcohol consumption.
"Your spot is never guaranteed on any football team or any job. I think you have to know how you carry yourself and handle yourself is going to be reflected in how successful you are and how many opportunities you get to do your job. Our guys need to understand that," Harbaugh told reporters.
"That is not what I would call effective training method right there to go out and drink too much. We expect those guys to chase a high standard and we're going to do everything we can to hold them accountable. We think everything that you do off the field has an impact on what you do on the field, and vice versa.
"Discipline is not a like a light switch. You can't walk out of this building, and all of a sudden, turn it off and walk back and turn it on. It's pretty hard to be successful in any walk of life without great self-discipline. When [a lack of discipline] starts showing up in other areas of your life, to me that's a major red flag for where you're going as a football player."
Harbaugh also warned his players that repeat offenders would lose his trust and not have a future with the team.
"At some point in time, your mistakes begin to impact us in a negative way. When the negativity overbalances your ability to help our football team, you're not going to be here anymore. Or if we can't trust your character, then you can't be a part of what we're doing anymore," he added.
Harbaugh has been in charge of the Ravens since 2008 and led them to Super Bowl success in 2012.
Barney Corkhill
