Report: NFL Owners To Re-Evaluate Roger Goodell's Role In Disciplinary Process
BOSTON (CBS) -- Roger Goodell lost to Tom Brady in court. That may be the first of more defeats for the NFL commissioner.
According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, NFL owners will discuss changing the role the commissioner plays in doling out discipline to players.
"Although it's uncertain whether Goodell's authority would be reduced, the decision to reevaluate his role resolving appeals is the first solid sign the outcome of Tom Brady's court case could have a lasting and significant impact on his position," Maske wrote.
Maske noted that it is "too soon to know" whether there are enough owners who would want to remove Goodell as the arbitrator in disciplinary matters and that there is no timetable for the owners' discussions. However, a source told Maske, "It will be interesting to see."
Goodell was, of course, found guilty of running an unfair process in Brady's case. Judge Richard Berman ruled that the NFL gave Brady no notice of punishment on the level of a four-game suspension for any alleged actions, that the NFL was wrong to not allow Brady's lawyers to question co-lead investigator Jeff Pash at the appeal hearing in June, and that the NFL was wrong to not share investigative files with Brady's lawyers prior to the appeal hearing.
Beyond the letter of the law, Judge Berman issued many admonishments of the NFL's process during the two public meetings between the two sides, an indication that the system in place was faulty on a number of levels.