Seahawks CB Richard Sherman said the NFL "really could care less" about player safety and that the league is just a "bottom-line business." Appearing on his video series "Tuesdays with Richard on Thursdays" on THE PLAYERS' TRIBUNE, Sherman said it is "hard to stress player safety in such a violent game because, at the end of the day, ratings sell, people want to buy tickets, people are going to come to games regardless." Sherman: "Does the league care when (Panthers QB) Cam Newton gets hit in the face five times and pretty much knocked out of the game? They have all these spotters and people that watch the games specifically for these reasons, and you see the guy on his hands and knees shaking his head after he just took a shot to the face. They're saying they didn't see any indications that he needed to come out of the game." He added, "If you take the reigning MVP out of a game in the last couple of minutes with the game on the line, he'd be frustrated, the fans would be frustrated. But it would be in line with what you said that you wanted to see in terms of player safety. You didn't (see it) because it would affect the ratings because it would affect the game." Meanwhile, Sherman said if players can increase the NFL's "bottom line, then they’ll love you, they’ll do everything they can to put you out more, to market you, to make sure the fans buy your jerseys ... because it makes them more money." He said, "If you’re not making them money, then at the end of the day, they’re going to find somebody else. We really don’t have reason to trust the NFL, and I don’t think they mind either way" ("Tuesdays with Richard on Thursdays," THEPLAYERSTRIBUNE.com, 9/29).
SHEDDING SOME LIGHT: Sherman expounded on his comments following practice on Thursday, saying, "A lot of times when you are dealing with the league ... they want a good game -- but only as long as they are making money. People say they don't like this, if they stop watching for any reason, they will change the game. They will change the rules. They will do anything they can to make sure people will continue to watch. That's one thing we are all cognizant of, because that's the one (bit of) leverage we have." He said his intention in talking about these issues is to "make sure people are informed about things." Sherman: "When we don't have labor peace ... the players get the short end of the stick. Fans blame the players, usually, and make it seem like the players are the bad guys and that we should just sit back and play the game and be appreciative. (That's) not understanding the sacrifices." He added, "Sometimes it's better to inform people than to attack them" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 9/30).
UNIQUE TO THE GRIDIRON: ESPN's Jalen Rose said he believes there is more "mistrust" among NFL players towards their league than players in other leagues. He said there are not stories about NBA players "popping off" about Commissioner Adam Silver. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell being "judge, jury and executioner as it relates to NFL discipline has rubbed the players the wrong way" ("Jalen & Jacoby," ESPN Radio, 9/30).
