NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport: NFL Has Many Questions To Answer
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan)- NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport joined "The Cook and Poni Show" Thursday to discuss the latest with the NFL and the investigation that will be conducted regarding the tape of the Ray Rice incident.
The NFL has hired former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III to investigate the league's handling of evidence in the Rice domestic violence case. An Associated Press report Wednesday revealed that a league executive received videotape evidence five months before it became public.
"Who saw it and who didn't?" Rapoport said. "There are so many questions here and really the only way to handle this is to appoint someone who doesn't work for the NFL."
So, why was Mueller chosen to lead this investigation?
""He is a former FBI director war hero and a hardcore investigator," Rapoport said. "He is someone who really doesn't care about how the league feels about him. He is just going to do his job and that is exactly what they need."
Rapoport says that the investigation is a direct response to the AP report as well as other reports to get all of the answers and to let everyone know exactly what has happened.
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney and New York Giants owner John Mara will oversee the investigation.
Rapoport says that both Rooney and Mara are considered close to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, but they are more invested in the league.
As the AP report indicated, a voice mail was recorded of a woman inside the NFL offices saying that they had received the video and had watched it. The question is who is this woman and will she be the scapegoat for the NFL?
"Unfortunately, there are not too many to chose from. How many female executives are there?," Rapoport said. "If this person did receive the video and didn't pass it on then yes, we have a scapegoat situation. But, if she did pass it on, what then? That's what really this investigation is trying to find out."
Rapoport also said that he finds it hard to believe that the Ravens' players will not be affected by this and it could show up on the field tonight.
Listen to the full interview below.
You can follow Ian Rapoport on twitter @RapSheet and you can see him on "NFL Total Access Kickoff" that will air at 6 p.m. on the NFL Network prior to the Steelers-Ravens game.
Kickoff is at 8:25 p.m. on both CBS and the NFL Network.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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