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Sources: Goodell's New NFL Celebration Policy An Effort To Change Public Perception

The NFL's newly revised policy on touchdown celebrations is part of a "concerted effort" by the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell to "start chipping away at the public perception -- and to some degree, the reality -- that Goodell and the players are perpetually at war," according to sources cited by Albert Breer of THE MMQB. The strategy is to "give players ownership." Giants President & CEO John Mara said, "The commissioner has made an effort to do it. Going around and meeting with them on the celebration rule, I think, is just one example. That’s important. We try to engage with them on the competition committee with the rules changes every year." The story of Goodell's perception with players begins with the '11 lockout, and other "dividing incidents" include Bountygate, a referee lockout, the Ray Rice scandal and Deflategate. The good will Goodell "accrued early in his term as commissioner with players ... frayed and, eventually, collapsed." This offseason, there "isn’t a major NFL-vs.-players fight, and the league has filled the vacuum by trying to more aggressively rebuild the bridges that were smoldering." Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt said, "The players’ perspective is important, we truly are partners in the business. ... The commissioner’s initiative here in recent years to try and include them more in the decision-making process is a positive. That should serve us both well going forward." The NFLPA has "taken notice of a few things: 1) How Goodell is taking a lead role in things (like the celebration-rule research) that may have been delegated to [NFL Exec VP/Football Operations] Troy Vincent in the past; 2) The league’s hire of [NFL Senior VP/Communications] Natalie Ravitz, because of her previous work to improve perception of media mogul Rupert Murdoch; and, 3) How Goodell’s handling of situations like being booed at the draft has improved" (MMQB.SI.com, 5/25).

DUNKING & JUMPING: ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert cited a source as saying that the NFL will "continue to prohibit players from dunking over the crossbar after touchdowns." In a letter released on Tuesday, Goodell wrote that it would "still be against the rules for celebrations to 'delay the game.'" Dunking "falls under that category because of the possibility that the goalpost could be dislodged and require repairs." It also "violates a rule that remains in place: using the goal post as a prop" (ESPN.com, 5/24). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Michael Salfino notes the new rules on celebrations could have an "unintended consequence: grounding the Lambeau Leap." The leap could fall under the banned category of "celebrations that are prolonged and delay the game." Few celebrations have "lasted longer than recent Lambeau Leaps." Last December, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers took 24 seconds to get off the field after "jumping into the stands following a rushing touchdown in a game against the Vikings." The Packers may "simply need to edit the celebrations to an appropriate length" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/25).

CHANGING WITH THE TIMES: In Philadelphia, John Smallwood writes the past decade in the NFL has yielded a "confusing, arbitrary, erratic and occasionally ridiculous enforcement of the excessive-celebration rule." The "subjective determination of what was OK and what pushed the envelope too far changed week to week and game to game." The revised policy is a "necessary adjustment to a new generation." When baby boomers were "making up rules of celebration in a game now populated by millennials, somebody eventually had to give." Smallwood notes a more "difficult aspect will still be what is and is not considered taunting because celebrations directed toward an opponent will still be penalized" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 5/25).

GET OFF MY LAWN: FS1's Jason Whitlock said, "What the NFL has done is it has taken its eye off the ball, they've listened to all of these people who really don't love football, who really don't get it. They're passive fans, they want to see all the extras, but the bread and butter is competition. People tune in to see great conflict and competition. No one really cares about the dancing other than the fans that don't know a damn thing about football." However, FS1's Eric Davis said, "Players care." He added, "Let's say you wanted to do a dance out there. If I stop you, you can't dance. I'm not going to let you dance. I'm going to compete hard enough so you can't dance. If you score that touchdown, you earn the right to dance and that's a part of the competition" ("Speak For Yourself," FS1, 5/24).

PLAYERS' PERSPECTIVE: Redskins TE Vernon Davis said, "Guys want to celebrate, they want to make it fun. That’s what this game is. ... You want to have fun and do things within the realm of your team and be in compliance, but at the same time, you want to have fun. I think that’s one thing we have to work on as players. We have to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can do to make sure that we can keep it this way so that they won’t come back and say, 'Hey, we’re going to take it away from you guys again'" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/25). Broncos LB Von Miller said, "The fans, they want excitement. I think a rule change would be great. We have to get a choreographer in here now" (DENVER POST, 5/25).

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