NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell may have disciplinary power for players' off-field actions, but it may not last for long according to a new report. The NFL, along with the NFL Player's Association, is nearing a deal that would strip Goodell of his ability to discipline players for their off the field actions. The NFLPA's executive director recently spoke with the Wall Street Journal about the possibility.
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"We've been talking about changes to the personal conduct policy since October and have traded proposals," Smith told The Wall Street Journal via ESPN.com. "We looked at the league's proposal for neutral arbitration. There is a common ground for us to get something done."
Under the current collective bargaining agreement that's in place within the league, Goodell oversees both disciplinary action as well as the appeals process. The commissioner has faced harsh criticism for his handling of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice's domestic violence incident in September 2014 — Rice was initially suspended for just two games before TMZ released the video of Rice punching his then-fiancee Janay Palmer in an elevator.
Goodell also got major pushback with his handling of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson's suspension, as well as Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy's appeal last May which brought his original ten-game suspension down to just four.
"This is an important area that deserves to be addressed thoughtfully and with full consideration for everyone's interests — players, clubs and fans. We are addressing the subject in a serious way and will continue to discuss this directly with the union and not in the media," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement.
Obviously deals like this take some time, and a plan would have to be made to decide who then would handle discipline in the NFL, but it's clear that voices around the league have called for a change.
