Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

Goodell Adamant He Will Not Resign In Wake Of Rice Scandal; Owners Speak Out In Support

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "was said to be adamant he would not resign" prior to yesterday's AP report that the league had seen the second Ray Rice video, according to Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. A source said, "That's not a consideration." Another source said there was "no chance" of a Goodell resignation, and two other sources "echoed that sentiment." Goodell's stance was "said to remain unchanged" last night. A source said Goodell would "never" consider resigning and added, "No reason to" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/11). THE MMQB's Peter King talked to six "prominent team executives" last night and concluded that Goodell’s job "would be in trouble only if he was found to have participated in a coverup of the Rice investigation, or if he lied about never having seen the videotape." A source said the NFL hiring former FBI Dir Robert Mueller to investigate the handling of the case was a "good first step." The source: "But we need to be prepared for any outcome." King writes in talking with several owners last night, he got the sense that Goodell has "so much goodwill in the bank in their eyes, there's no way -- without definitive proof that the commissioner lied -- they'd throw him, and his $44 million annual compensation, to the wolves" (MMQB.SI.com, 9/11).

STRONG SUPPORT AMONG OWNERSHIP: FS1's Mike Garafolo noted while many team owners "were not happy with the way that this was handled initially with the two-game suspension," they feel that the "right decision was made in the end." Garafolo: "There may be a couple owners who maybe don't think as highly of Goodell now as they once did. But I think the support is there. He took a lot of heat for them publicly over the last couple of years" ("Fox Sports Live," FS1, 9/10). King said, "Regardless of what happens, you still need to get many owners on board with this. You would need to get a three-quarters vote of the owners to replace the commissioner. That's a lot of owners, and there are an awful lot of owners who love Roger Goodell” (“Pro Football Talk,” NBCSN, 9/10). 

WHAT WOULD CAUSE OWNERS TO TURN?
The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Kevin Clark cites one NFL owner as saying that a "revelation that the league office possessed the video would likely lead to owners to turn against Goodell." Another owner said that Goodell is "unlikely to lose his job unless there is clear proof that information was suppressed." Clark notes firing Goodell would be a "stunning sea change for owners, after public support this week" from the likes of the Patriots' Robert Kraft, who defended Goodell on "CBS This Morning" Tuesday, and the Giants' John Mara. Mara yesterday said that the "idea that Goodell's job was on the line is 'misguided'" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/11). BLEACHER REPORT's Mike Freeman cited an owner as saying, "Roger is not a liar. He's a good man who always wants to protect the NFL. He's respected and liked by every owner I know. I believe Roger and the league. I trust them." The owner added, "But I have to say that if this report is true, this is very bad for our league, and for Roger. No owner will support him if this is true. Not one." Freeman wrote Goodell has "built goodwill among ownership," as he has "made them a ton of cash and brought labor peace to the NFL." But even the "most powerful owners in the NFL" like Kraft or Mara -- who are Goodell's "biggest supporters -- can save him from being punished in some manner if this story is accurate." If the AP story "is true, there will be owners who will want a pound of flesh. You can count on that" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 9/10). In Phoenix, Bob Young asks, "How long before NFL owners start abandoning Commissioner Roger Goodell?" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/11). 

OVER & OUT? SI.com's Michael Rosenberg wrote under the header, "Arrogant Roger Goodell Must Go." Goodell has "helped his billionaire owners get a lot richer, which is why people assume he is invincible." While some "well-known and powerful owners" like Kraft, Mara and the Cowboys’ Jerry Jones have publicly and privately supported him, there are "32 owners in the league, and rest assured: Support for Goodell is not as close to unanimous as he wants you to think." Most of these owners "have wives." Rosenberg: "Do you think they are happy right now?" (SI.com, 9/10). In Chicago, Rick Morrissey writes under the header, "Roger Goodell Needs To Resign." As the "leader of a multibillion-dollar operation, he needs to take responsibility for the dirty, greasy story being written on his watch." He needs to "go away for what, at a bare minimum, is the league’s shockingly poor eyesight when it comes to domestic abuse." Morrissey: "At a maximum, well, who knows where this scandal is headed?" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/11). In Philadelphia, Bob Brookover writes if the AP's report on the Rice scandal is accurate, there is "only one thing left for NFL owners to say to their handpicked commissioner: Roger, over and out." There is "no way Roger Goodell should be able to survive this because incompetent liars do not make good leaders" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 9/11). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes it "now appears that beyond being clueless," Goodell may "also have been lying." The "reckless bum" who should be "kicked out of the league for disgracing The Shield is him" (L.A. TIMES, 9/11).

FIRE SALE: CBS Sports Radio's John Feinstein said, "If Goodell did see the video, which he says he didn't, then he should be fired. If he didn't see the video, then he probably should be fired too -- because he should have seen the video. He's guilty and everybody working around him is guilty for giving him terrible advice" (REUTERS, 9/11). In N.Y., Linda Stasi writes Goodell "shouldn't be granted the dignity of resigning." Stasi: "His ass should be fired immediately. And as publicly as possible. No dignity, no forgiveness" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/11). ESPN's Keith Olbermann said Goodell has "already forfeited (his) privilege of resigning." Olbermann: "The owners in the NFL need to publicly and loudly fire you" ("Olbermann," ESPN2, 9/10). A New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE editorial noted the NFL "requires players to avoid 'conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence'" in the league, and the "same standard should apply" to Goodell. The editorial: "Based on that standard, Mr. Goodell should be removed" (NOLA.com, 9/10).

ON THE OTHER HAND...: In Cincinnati, Paul Daugherty wrote it would be the "height of hypocrisy" to get rid of someone who has "done exactly what owners have wanted him to do, which is make them more money than they could spend or count." The "tardy and pseudo concern for all the issues the NFL faces -- PEDs, domestic abuse, off-field violence generally, brain-health issues of its retirees -- get a good white-washing." It is "all about appearances to the league" (CINCINNATI.com, 9/10). In N.Y., Michael Powell writes the "Circus Maximus" that is the NFL "long ago banished shame from its executive suites." Owners’ profits "soar and players get their taste, if they don’t mind the concussions, torn ligaments and broken bones" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/11). In Toronto, Bruce Arthur writes even if Goodell "is toppled -- and unless sponsors turn, he’ll likely survive -- the NFL will replace him with another boilerplate-spewing lawyer, another tobacco executive avatar for their bloodsport" (TORONTO STAR, 9/11). In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel writes if Goodell is fired, he will "simply be replaced by another older white guy whose main responsibility will be to make money for 32 NFL owners." Engel: "Keep Goodell there so he can learn from his rather enormous mistake." The "least he can do is make domestic violence a genuine priority on the same level as fighting PEDs." He should "start by stop talking to men about this and start listening to women" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/11).

WHO'S THE BAD GUY? In N.Y., Mike Lupica writes because of the way Goodell "has bungled his handling of the Rice matter ... he is the one now treated as being as bad as Ray Rice, as if it is Goodell who is the bad guy now and not a football player who hit a woman the way he used to get hit on a football field." Because of the "continuing fallout from that punch ... it is as if Goodell is the criminal here and not Rice" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/11). 

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2014/09/11/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Goodell-Job-Security.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2014/09/11/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Goodell-Job-Security.aspx

CLOSE