NFL commissioner Roger Goodell held a press conference yesterday to discuss the league’s revised personal conduct policy. Of course, plenty of pundits offered their opinions on the commissioner’s statements, including former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi. Speaking on ESPN, Bruschi wasn’t positive in his review of the league’s commish (via ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio)…
“We needed someone to go up there and be a leader,” Bruschi said. “To be a leader and say something substantial. To give all of the public out there, all of the fans, all of the former players, all of the current players. To give them hope that things will be done right, and that wasn’t done because I don’t think Roger Goodell is the guy that can do that anymore.
“Fixing a mistake is one thing, but he can’t escape this. He can’t escape this. Because the NFL, a big thing about them also is image. How the NFL is portrayed. And as long as Roger Goodell is leading the NFL and he’s the face behind the shield, you will have the same emotions you had today, watching that press conference, listening to him speak in circles, wondering, ‘Man, what is this guy talking about?’ So as you continue and move forward and Roger Goodell is the Commissioner, you will continue to feel that way every time you see him.
“In my opinion, in my personal opinion, being a former player that spent 13 years in this league trying to do the right thing, I want a new Commissioner to lead my league. I want a new Commissioner to go out there and say the right things and be that leader, because right now, Roger Goodell is not that. And I don’t think he can ever be that. Roger Goodell needs to step down and move on, and we need new leadership. The big reset button needs to be pressed on the NFL right now, and it starts by Roger Goodell stepping down.”
Let’s check out some more notes pertaining to Goodell and the NFL…
- Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole spoke to a pair of league executives about the press conference, and neither was impressed with the way Goodell handled himself. One expressed his belief that Goodell didn’t “measure up” to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who recently had to deal with the Donald Sterling controversy.
- Peter King dove into the SI Vault to uncover a 2006 article where he discusses the retirement of former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. In addition to Goodell, King suggests Falcons president Rich McKay and Ravens president Richard Cass as possible replacements.
- The NFL “very much” wants a franchise in London and believes that fan support will not be a concern, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.