Fansided

The 5 worst decisions Roger Goodell has made as NFL commissioner

By Michael Collins

September 4, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell walks the sidelines before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
September 4, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell walks the sidelines before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
Dec 16, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

Ray Rice domestic violence incident and tapes

The ongoing Ray Rice incident could be the one that ends in the undoing of Goodell’s term as commissioner (although according to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, he still has the full support of all 32 owners).

The many issues and legal weavings that have become a part of this case need to be settled in a court of law, and Roger Goodell once more overstepped his authority and jumped before the legal gun even sounded.

The bottom line is this. Ray Rice beat up his girlfriend in an elevator. The security tapes from the Atlantic City casino clearly showed Rice dragging his then-girlfriend (now wife) Janay Palmer out of the elevator, and according to Rice, he admitted to hitting her when interviewed by Goodell and the league.

Rice was indicted on third-degree assault charges…and Goodell’s response?

2-game suspension.

The public was outraged, as were many members of the media. Two games for assaulting a woman? Goodell had given players suspensions twice that long who had simply failed to show up for a drug test.

The backpedaling soon began, and Goodell was calling for new league rules on domestic violence cases and was trying to remove (once again) the tarnish from the shield  he so vehemently vowed to protect.

But then TMZ released a second video of footage taken inside the elevator that painted a more accurate picture of how violent and disgusting this assault had been. According to TMZ, Goodell had seen this video before handing down the 2-game suspension to Rice. Goodell of course denied ever having seen it, and the accusations on both sides continue.

More backpedaling.

After the second video surfaced and Rice was subsequently released by the Baltimore Ravens, Goodell took it upon himself to just arbitrarily increase the 2-game suspension to an “indefinite” suspension.

Immediately the questions flew at Goodell as to why…why now? If the incident warranted an indefinite suspension now, why did it not before when it was only viewed as 2-game suspension worthy? The facts had not changed, Rice’s story had not changed, a different view of the incident had now been provided.

Goodell has women’s groups, media members and many fans calling for his resignation, and there are still chapters in this unfortunate story yet to be written.

Home/NFL