NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the league's role in social issues, his thoughts on Tom Brady's suspension and the ongoing concussion treatment in an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer that is being rolled out over several different network platforms. Snippets of the interview, which is scheduled to run in full on Wednesday's episode of "Today," aired yesterday on "Today" and last night during halftime of the Patriots-Cardinals "SNF" matchup. Goodell was asked if he wants the NFL to take a leading role in bringing attention to social issues. He responded, "We play a role in society, an important role in society. We understand that, we're careful about that because we still believe that at the bottom people come to enjoy the sport, they come to enjoy the game, but they recognize the importance that the NFL plays in our society and we all have to be responsible for that. It's an important role and it's one of the things we spend an awful lot of time focusing on." 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick has made headlines for his protest during the National Anthem, and Goodell said, "I support our players speaking out on issues that they think need to be changed in our society. We don't live in a perfect society. Our players have strong views about things, so I support our players speaking out against that. But that's what the focus should be on, the changes he wants to see in our society." He added, "What I do believe in, though, is the respect for our country, the people who fought for those freedoms and those values, the people who protect us here and abroad. I think those are very important, and you're going to see on Sunday we're a patriotic league.” Goodell also addressed Patriots QB Tom Brady's four-game ban by saying, "The process was properly followed. We collectively bargained a process for discipline. We went through that and that I can't think of an issue that has been more litigated" ("Today," NBC, 9/11).
TRYING TO GET THINGS RIGHT: The league's concussion protocol again has been called into question following a hit on Panthers QB Cam Newton late in Thursday's game against the Broncos. Lauer asked Goodell about Rams QB Case Keenum, who last season stayed on the field after suffering a concussion. Lauer: "When you were watching that footage, what was your first reaction?" Goodell: "That our protocol was violated, that that's not right." He said the league during the offseason "worked to try to evaluate our medical protocol, to improve on them and make sure that they are properly communicated to every medical personnel in the league, and we did that with the NFL Players Association." Goodell: "We strengthened that so that if anyone does violate our protocol on the team level they are subject to discipline" ("Patriots-Cardinals," NBC, 9/11).
HIDING BEHIND THE FLAG? PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio noted by "coming out strongly in support of patriotism," Goodell’s comments last week on the Kaepernick issue have "created a not-so-subtle impression that Kaepernick is behaving in an anti-patriotic way." NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith said, “I’m always sensitive to the labels that the league and media want to attach to our players. When someone interjects labels like ‘patriotism’ when this issue is discussed, I’m concerned about whether it’s interpreted as a method to portray someone like Colin Kaepernick as unpatriotic. If so, it completely drowns the point that he and players like him are exercising a right protected by the Constitution, which is secured by thousands of men and women who keep us safe and is therefore an affirmation of what this country stands for" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 9/9).
