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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Goodell Talks Deflategate, Rule Changes, Status Of L.A. Ahead Of Owners Meeting

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sat down for an extensive Q&A with THE MMQB's Peter King on the eve of the annual owners meetings and discussed several issues that are up for discussion, including expanding the postseason field and the L.A. situation. Goodell also talked about some of the issues that popped up during the '14 season, such as the Deflategate investigation. He said the league has not given investigator Ted Wells a timetable "except to be thorough, be fair and get to the truth." Goodell: "When he’s completed his report, that will be made public as well as to all of us. ... I haven’t spoken to him for several weeks. I think he’s getting near the end, but there’s no requirement when." Excerpts of the Q&A are below.

Q: How difficult was [2014] personally on you?
Goodell: When you’re trying to fix the things you need to fix, it’s not as difficult as it is on the people around you. Fellow employees. Our fans. I’d start with my family, the people who know you. Those are the people you worry about. But for me it was, we had a job to do and we had to get it done. I’m proud of what we did.

Q: Is there a chance that you do something this year with the extra point?
Goodell: There’s a chance. I think that we’re going to have some pretty healthy discussions about it. ... The extra point will be something that gets a fair amount of discussion -- whether we move it back to the 15, as we experimented last year. Could you combine that potentially with putting the ball at the one (-yard line) so that you incentivize them to go for 2?

Q: Other topics of business at the league meetings...
Goodell: The expansion of the playoffs will be discussed.

Q: Why has that cooled?
Goodell: I don’t think it’s cooled at all. There are a lot of factors that go into it. One, we want to be right when we do it ... It’s something that we think has got a lot of merit from a competitive side, because it would actually add more teams to the race as you get toward the end of the season. There’s the broadcasting side of it. When would you play that extra game? (A seventh playoff team in each conference would leave) one bye for the first seed in each conference.

Q: Is it logical to think that you would propose an 18-game schedule at any point in the near future?
Goodell: It’s one of those things that we’ll continue to evaluate the season structure. ... The real short-term focus is on the quality of the preseason.

Q: As you look at the landscape, what has changed to make it logical and likely that there will be football in Los Angeles?
Goodell: I’m not saying it’s likely. I think a couple of things are positive. One is our long-term labor agreement. I would say that when someone is making the kind of investment that you have to make in the Los Angeles market as well as a lot of other markets -- you need the long-term stability so that we can invest back in the business.

Q: Gut feeling -- football in L.A. in 2016?
Goodell: I really don’t know. ... I’m not relying on my gut, I guess. I’m relying on if there is a real alternative where we can return to the market successfully for the long-term; that is the biggest priority in Los Angeles.

Q: London. Three games a year there now. Is there any progress toward a more permanent solution -- whether it be a team or more games every year to get a more established toehold?
Goodell: We’re looking at more games. Again, I think every year we’ve learned something from our experience, which is the objective. First and foremost is the passion of the fans -- they want more. ... What we’re getting from authorities is that, “We’d love to have a permanent presence here.” Stadiums are another big part of it.

Q: Do you think the draft is logically a road show now?
Goodell: The reaction we’re getting and the excitement that is building around the draft is really extraordinary. We’re really thrilled with our plans. We have to execute on that and then we’ll make that evaluation" (MMQB.SI.com, 3/23).

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