By: Kai Jones
Since 2012, the NFL has dealt with a major scandal every season. In 2012, it was the New Orleans Saints with Bountygate. In 2013, it was the Dolphins with Bullygate. This year, it has been multiple incidents: most famously Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and Josh Gordon. The NFL suspension list has increased since Commissioner Roger Goodell came into office. In 2005, Ricky Williams was the only player suspended. In 2006, Goodell’s inaugural year as commissioner, it jumped to seven players suspended throughout the year. The number has seemingly increased almost every year, as Goodell tries to hold the players to a higher standard. But this year over 40 players have been suspended. That does not include Ray Rice who has been nearly erased from anything NFL related. Also does not include Peterson, who was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List for allegedly abusing his son; or Greg Hardy who was also placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List for his ongoing domestic violence case.
It seems like the NFL cannot avoid bad publicity this year, as the St. Louis Rams received outrage because they cut the first openly gay player: Michael Sam. Many believed he was cut for being gay. The Dallas Cowboys picked him up as a favor to the league, so the league could avoid more bad publicity as they were dealing with the backlash of Ray Rice’s domestic violence case. Sam was cut two days ago, and the league avoided the LGBT community’s backlash that they had began to receive after the Rams cut him. Other than that incident, it seems like the league’s image has taken a hit at almost every other angle. From having to suspend Josh Brent for intoxication manslaughter (a case from 2012) to Josh Gordon for drug abuse: but does it matter?
With all these suspensions and outrage from various groups you would think the NFL would be hit where it hurts (the wallet), right? Nope, the Super Bowl rematch received a 44 percent increase in TV ratings from the Super Bowl game, and Monday Night’s matchup between the Texans and Steelers received better TV ratings than MLB’s World Series Game 1. The NFL has moral issues, but do the owners really care considering their wallets aren’t hurt? Probably not, but do the fans care? Probably not, but Commissioner Goodell doesn’t care as long as he can flex his iron fist and receive his paycheck. It seems we all turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of these athletes. Even though these athletes play a gladiator sport, but at the end of the day they are just humans and make mistakes: so grab a beer and watch football since we all have our vices, even millionaire athletes.
