A grand jury's indictment Friday of Vikings RB Adrian Peterson on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child "capped a humiliating week for the NFL," according to Tom Pelissero of USA TODAY (9/15). In Boston, Dan Shaughnessy writes under the header, "For NFL, Week Was As Bad As It Gets." Last week was "the worst week in the history" of the NFL (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/15). In N.Y., Gary Myers listed the "Top 10 Image-Destroying Problems Facing The NFL." He wrote, "I have been covering the NFL since 1978 and this is the worst beating the league’s image has ever taken at one time" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/14). The AP's Eddie Pells wrote last week was "the NFL's worst week." Player agent Leigh Steinberg said, "As unusual a week as I can remember in 40 years around the NFL. What should have been as positive a week as they have, with opening weekend and a lot of good games, turned into a destructive minefield of negativity." But agent Evan Morgenstein said of the league, "Nobody cares until the money starts getting pulled out" (AP, 9/14). AD AGE's E.J. Schultz cited YouGov BrandIndex data as showing that the NFL's "buzz" score "fell from a yearlong high" of 36 last Monday to -17 four days later. That marks the league's lowest score since June '12, when it was -26. The buzz scores, which are based on interviews of 4,300 people each weekday, "can range from 100 to -100, with a score of zero indicating an equal level of positive and negative feedback" (ADAGE.com, 9/12).
SURVEY SHOWS SKEPTICISM: In N.Y., Michael O'keeffe cited a survey of 544 random Americans conducted by Langer Research Associates as showing that 55% of respondents believe NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "is not being truthful about when NFL officials saw the surveillance tape" showing Ray Rice assaulting his wife. Only 24% believed Goodell "was telling the truth." Still, 43% of those surveyed said that Goodell "should not lose his job," while 37% said that he "should get canned." The survey also showed that 61% of those polled said that the NFL "did not fully investigate Rice’s domestic violence arrest," compared to just 18% who said that the league "investigated the situation adequately" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/14). But ESPN's Adam Schefter noted there is a "huge, huge disconnect between what the public thinks and what NFL ownership thinks." Schefter: "The public at-large is squarely against Roger Goodell. The public has lost faith in him, his credibility has taken a hit then and they don't believe that he's fit to serve in that role as many polls indicate. When you speak with owners and executives around the league, you get a different picture. They are the ones, not the public, that are going to be making the decision about Roger Goodell and short of some evidence showing up in Robert Mueller's investigation, it’s difficult to envision a scenario right now where the owners are going to be willing to make a change" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/14).
SOUL SOLD? In Boston, Steve Buckley wrote the NFL is "running out of room to stack its controversies." Our senses "have been bombarded with statements and misstatements, accusations and denials, and a growing debate over the fitness of Goodell to remain as commissioner." Buckley: "It’s the league -- Roger Goodell’s National Football League -- that has absolutely lost its way" (BOSTON HERALD, 9/14). In Philadelphia, Marcus Hayes writes the NFL "is the top sports product" in the U.S., "and the worst." The league "displays a dearth of humility, a wealth of arrogance, and a glut of self-importance" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 9/15). In N.Y., Terry Keenan wrote the "unspoken truth is that the NFL allows this reprehensible behavior" from its players "because it’s one of the greatest money-making machines ever invented" (N.Y. POST, 9/14).
TOO BIG TO FAIL? The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Kevin Clark writes, "In the darkest week in the league's history, one full of embarrassment and ugly turns, a nervous corporate executive or two probably pondered: What if the NFL ever stopped being the NFL?" If the NFL "took a hit, there's no logical replacement" among sports properties in terms of TV ratings. The Pro Bowl, an "afterthought of an All-Star game, draws better ratings than nearly all baseball and basketball playoff games" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/15). In Denver, Mark Kiszla wrote Goodell's "ineptitude alone can't bring down the league," but mothers "could do it." Moms "are more powerful than Goodell" (DENVER POST, 9/14).
FOCUSING ON THE WRONG TARGET? In Dallas, Rick Gosselin wrote last week was "a bad week for the NFL, a bad week for Roger Goodell." Gosselin: "But let’s not forget those who committed the crimes and the judicial system that has repeatedly gone light on them. There is plenty of blame to spread around" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/14). ESPN's Suzy Kolber said, "Since last Monday who’s been the No. 1 target in all this? Roger Goodell. Are we losing sight of who the real villain is here? The villain is domestic violence" ("Sunday NFL Countdown," ESPN, 9/14).
