Goodell Speaks On Suspended Pats Employees, Not Attending Opener, Changes To Discipline System
BOSTON (CBS) -- Roger Goodell has broken his post-DeflateGate ruling silence, as the NFL commissioner went on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike Show on Tuesday morning.
Though the tenor of the interview remained cordial and polite, the hosts did ask Goodell a number of questions which the country -- particularly folks in New England -- have wanted answered for some time.
To start, Goodell admitted that he and others in the NFL have "a fatigue" for all things DeflateGate, and within the first few seconds of speaking, he touted the "independent investigation by Ted Wells."
Goodell said that he is appealing Judge Richard Berman's decision because he believes the NFL acted consistently with the collective-bargaining agreement.
"That's simply a legal matter," Goodell said, noting that the next step will only involve the NFL's legal team and won't require his attention.
Regarding that attention, Goodell said he is open to a change in the discipline process in order to not take up all of his time.
"I am very open to changing my role in that. It's become extremely time-consuming and I think I have to be focused on a variety of other issues," Goodell said, adding that he's spoken to some owners about such a change.
Goodell said that the league could appoint a designated discipline officer, or perhaps a disciplinary panel, to dole out discipline, at least in the first phase of punishment.
Despite Goodell's shaky track record in court, the commissioner said that not all the losses can be seen as losses.
"When you're facing litigation, you lose in the initial phases and you get to the right place when you take the long-term view," Goodell said, touting the NFL's win on appeal in the Maurice Clarett case all the way back in 2004. "You have to have the long-term view with litigation, and you also have to understand you're not going to win them all. From our standpoint we want to get to a better discipline system."
Regarding the potential changes to the discipline system, Goodell said that the NFL is resistant to incorporating truly neutral, third-party arbitrators, for fear that such an arbitrator may not have the deep knowledge of the NFL's rules and policies before making important rulings. However, back in 2012, Goodell chose the most appropriate man for the job when picking an arbitrator for the Saints' appeals in Bountygate. Goodell chose his predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, who served as NFL commissioner for 17 years. Tagliabue, an attorney who had arguably the greatest possible knowledge of the NFL's rules and policies, decided that Goodell was wrong in issuing his discipline to the Saints players and subsequently ruled to vacate their suspensions.
By that measure, if Goodell believes that a man who ran the league for nearly two decades is unfit to serve as an arbitrator, then he may have trouble finding a suitable party to serve in that role.
On his relationship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Goodell said nothing has changed.
"We may disagree on this issue but Robert and I continue to have a very strong relationship. We continue to work on league matters that are very important to us," Goodell said. "We obviously disagree with this issue, but it's a respectful disagreement."
As for his decision to not attend Thursday night's season opener at Gillette Stadium, Goodell said he doesn't have to be in the stadium because he attended both of the Patriots' home playoff games last January.
"Well I was at the last two Patriots home games in the divisional and AFC Championship Game, and I will be in Chicago for the start of the season on Sunday. I try to get around to as many stadiums. The focus should be on football," Goodell said. "I certainly don't want to be a distraction to that. Everyone wants to get back to football."
As to whether he believes he'd be a distraction if he attended Thursday's game, he said, "I don't know whether I would or wouldn't, but it isn't even necessary to have that dialogue. We're looking to have a great celebration."
Lastly, Goodell was asked about the much-debated topic of whether the NFL forced the Patriots to suspend Jim McNally and John Jastremski. Goodell denied that the NFL issued such an order.
"Absolutely not. No. That was a decision by the Patriots," Goodell said.
However, when the NFL announced its punishment of Tom Brady and the Patriots, it clearly stated: "Neither of these individuals may be reinstated without the prior approval of NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent.
Clearly, both sides (the Patriots and the NFL) appear to be parsing words regarding the suspension of both employees. The case seems to be that the Patriots suspended the employees, perhaps at the request of the NFL but not as a direct order from the league office. That step was taken after the Wells report was released but before the league issued their punishment. After that, the league held the cards in terms of reinstating the employees, and the sides remain in a standoff of sorts. The longer they remain suspended, the more guilty the Patriots look, and after getting handed a loss in federal court last week, it behooves the NFL to keep that narrative running.
Goodell seemingly verified that when asked why neither McNally nor Jastremski spoke during Brady's appeal hearing. Goodell noted that neither side chose to call the employees as witnesses before specifying that it was "particularly the union side" that did not want to hear from them.
From this interview, only one thing was clear: If you thought DeflateGate might finally go away and come to a complete end, unfortunately the man who runs the NFL simply does not want that to happen.
Read more from Michael Hurley by clicking here. You can email him or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
