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NFLPA hasn’t heard from Roger Goodell on recusing himself

By CM Towle

Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (right) alongside NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after beating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (right) alongside NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after beating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NFLPA demanded that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recuse himself from the Tom Brady appeal, but there has been no reply.

The league is saying that there has been no final decision yet on whether or not Goodell will recuse himself from the Tom Brady appeal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. No word on whether it’s “more probable than not” that he won’t, but ESPN reported earlier that he would not, only to have the Rapoport report contradict it. Apparently they can’t quite get their leaks straight in this case.

USA Today is also reporting that they were told by league spokesman Greg Aiello that there’s no final decision, so let’s go with that. Goodell was going to serve as the arbitrator for the Brady appeal, but the NFLPA put forth a motion to protest this and have a neutral arbitrator assigned. You can hardly blame them in this case as obviously it’s not particularly fair for Brady to have the guy who suspended him in the first place serve as the arbitrator for his appeal.

However, if anyone’s learned anything about the NFL and Goodell, it’s that they’ll do what they want and it’s more probable than not that Goodell and the NFL will reject the motion. USA Today confirms this somewhat by saying that the NFL’s attorneys are putting together paperwork illustrating the reasons why Goodell should not recuse himself. Goodell also strongly suggested in the spring meetings this week that he fully intended to hear the appeal on the grounds that it is the commissioner’s job to protect the integrity of the game. Having some kind of legal backing is essential in case the situation ends up in court.

The Patriots owner Robert Kraft has said that he reluctantly accepts the punishment doled out to the organization, but the NFLPA still intends to go forward with the Brady appeal. They said that because Goodell has a central role in the case as a witness, as stated above, he should therefore recuse himself and appoint a neutral party to serve as arbitrator. There’s precedent for that as well, as Goodell did just that when Ray Rice appealed his indefinite suspension by the league and it was overturned.

So far there is no date set for the Brady appeal, but it probably depends on what the league decides with respect to Goodell serving as the arbitrator.

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