This story can’t come as a shock to anybody. After the DeflateGate disaster hit new levels for the National Football League on Thursday with the federal court ruling to overturn Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, the league owners are going to be reviewing NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s power with discipline, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post.
"“There will certainly be discussion about that,” one owner said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic. The owner said he is “not sure where it will lead.”"
Goodell has been nothing short of a disaster in recent years with suspensions. The most famous case involved former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who after punching his now-wife Janay Palmer, was suspended two games by the league. The video of Rice striking Palmer was then released to the public by TMZ, and only then did Goodell move to suspend Rice indefinitely.
Goodell has also been in hot water for suspending Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy for four games to start the 2015 season after originally suspending him for 10. Hardy was suspended for the final 15 regular-season games of last year plus Carolina’s two postseason games, but he was paid throughout the ban. Hardy was found guilty in a South Carolina court of abusing his then-girlfriend Nicole Holder before throwing her on a couch full of weapons.
Currently, Goodell is the judge, jury and executioner for any player discipline. The league and NFLPA agreed to those terms during the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement, something that is clearly being talked about because of the commissioner’s failures.
The NFL has to begin looking into alternative ways to deal with players. Goodell is loathed by most of the current players in the game and the union is looking for any excuse to hammer him. Most fans are also tired of Goodell, who has shown incredible inconsistencies in punishments across the board.