Changing regulatory landscape of NFL – Is it Roger Goodell’s personal agenda? – NFL Feature
Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita recently lashed out at the National Football League (NFL) commissioner Roger Goodell. He was reacting to the latest punishment of a game ban over his alleged involvement in the bounty programme by the league office.
The LB accused the NFL boss of abusing his powers, and counted a number of things, which the player thinks the official has done since his arrival in New York.
One, he pushed for a 18-game regular season, advocated that full season should be based on Thursday night games, hired incompetent replacement officiating staff, and so on, so forth.
In reality the player was throwing allegations at the NFL boss, but indirectly he made a point: that the league has certainly gone through a period of transformation under reign of Goodell.
This is irrespective of the disliking by some of the NFL community members who are players and officials, former and current ones. A majority of them also see the changes introduced under Roger’s reign a positive development to future of the league.
The number of changes introduced so far since Roger took over is substantial, their scope is wider and the impact is directly on working efficiency, transparency, safety and facilitation. The focus of a majority of the new measures taken by the NFL boss
is of regulatory nature and targets welfare of all members of the American football community.
For this, sometimes, the league’s commissioner defied all odds and successfully fought the prevalent trends, culture and beliefs. This also made him less popular within in his own community.
Independently, game analysts give him the credit of making on-and-off-field conditions better. From amendment of rules related to hiring and working with rookies, which are now part of the new collective bargaining agreement, injury and safety rules, officiating
rules and many other issues, the league boss has paid attention to many aspects of the game.
The most important and controversial is players' safety. The issue has become so sensitive that many players and officials see if it is a personal agenda of Roger that he is bent upon to get it implemented at all costs.
As a matter of fact, it is first time that the league has taken the promotion of players' safety so seriously. The main hurdle in the commissioner’s way is the culture of playing aggressive and unsafe, a mindset and a belief that he needs to successfully
fight with and overpower it.
For example, unearthing of bounty scandal has brought him in front of players and officials alike, and as Scott’s remarks reflect, they see him as their direct enemy. On the other hand, if the number of lawsuits before different courts by former players accusing
the league office of compromising their safety in the past is taken into account, Roger must be credited to have job well done, so far, as far as players’ safety is concerned.
One lapse that the league office has been seen making regularly is that it has been sometimes too lenient against alleged perpetrators of foul-plays. For example, the office let Cleveland Browns get away with mishandling of concussion of quarterback Colt
McCoy, while Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was suspended for a game only.
On the positive side, the league has come rather strict as it has introduced positioning of an athletic trainer along with teams’ medical staff during each game. It has also taken some other steps to ensure players' protection from injuries.
The commissioner has given a sense of direction to the league office as far as players’ safety is concerned and it now depends on how the office approaches the issue in future, amid all the outside pressure and inside resistance.
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