Jason Kelce Says NFL Is 'Lying' And 'Misleading People'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Every one has an opinion on the Ray Rice scandal these days, including the NFL players themselves.
Eagles center Jason Kelce has been very outspoken about the way the NFL has mishandled the situation. On Friday, Kelce joined the 94WIP Morning Show and elaborated on his opinion.
"They [NFL] haven't given like a concrete explanation as to what they're doing." Kelce told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show. "I mean, the whole thing has been just really mishandled. And then, now all the sudden with tape coming out---I'm sorry, but I can't believe that an organization with billions of dollars and this tape is running out there through law enforcement and through media outlets that they somehow couldn't get their hands on the tape. They're saying that they couldn't get the tape, I don't know if I believe that. They made a mistake by only suspending him [Rice] for two games."
Listen: Jason Kelce on the 94WIP Morning Show
Kelce explained that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL should have been honest about being too lenient on their original two-game suspension to Rice.
"If they would have just came out and said, 'You know what we had a wrong---we made a wrong decision. We should have suspended him for longer. This is something that we mishandled,'" Kelce explained. "I would have had a lot more respect for the NFL than what they're doing now, which seems like they are just backtracking and trying to save face in front of the fans and it's clear as day, I think to me, they're lying and misleading people."
Is Goodell not a popular commissioner among the players?
"I don't think---Goodell sides with owners on pretty much every issue," Kelce admitted. "So it's hard to be popular with the players when you do stuff like that, but I don't know---I mean, that's his job."
As for football, the Eagles are at the Colts on Monday night this week. Unfortunately, they'll be without their Pro Bowl left-guard and close friend of Kelce's Evan Mathis (sprained MCL), for several weeks.
"Evan's obviously a great player," Kelce said. "I'm very comfortable working with him because ever since I've been in Philadelphia that's the only guy I've played with as the left-guard. So, he's a tremendous athletes, he's a very smart---hopefully we won't miss too much, but he's a great player to not have in the game. Having said that though, we have a couple guys---Dennis Kelly and a new guy we just picked up, Wade Smith---who really look like they are gonna be able to get in there and get the job done if need be."
Last season, the Colts allowed 125.1 rushing yards per game, good for seventh worst in football. The Eagles on the other hand, were the NFL's best rushing offense in 2013. One can conclude the Eagles will focus on their ground attack this week.
"I mean, they have been vulnerable against the run, but they also---they kind of go back and forth," Kelce said. "Where sometimes they'll give up a big passing game, sometimes they'll give up big running games. I think it depends on the way they're going to play. When they want to stop the run it looks like they put a lot of guys down there and they do a pretty decent job. And when they're a little bit more afraid of a passing attack it looks like teams are able to get after them a little bit. So, we're just gonna---one of the best things about Chip Kelly is he is going to take what the defense is giving us."
Cataldi asked Kelce who he would rather have to run his team, Nick Foles or Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. Shockingly, Kelce went with his teammate.
"Nick Foles," Kelce said. "Nick's my guy, Nick's my guy."
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