In the wake of the much-publicized Ray Rice incident, which has at least invited suspicion that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell tried to cover up the recently-released footage showing Rice striking his wife in an elevator, rumblings regarding Goodell’s job security have intensified. However, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, “Numerous league sources who have had direct conversations with Goodell continue to say he never viewed the video of Rice striking his wife until it hit the Internet.” Furthermore, La Canfora adds that the league owners continue to support Goodell and “few scenarios exist whereby that would significantly change.”
One such scenario, of course, would be a finding that Goodell did indeed take part in some sort of cover up. The mere fact that Goodell did not make more of an effort to see the footage, whose existence was widely known, would not seem to be enough to diminish his support.
However, considering the blow that this ordeal has dealt to Goodell’s already uncertain public reputation, some NFL owners fear that Goodell will resign from his post. Since those owners are still firmly in Goodell’s corner, his resignation, while still highly improbable, is more likely than his being fired.
La Canfora writes that, while the investigation that the Rice video has triggered might have “strong consequences for some in NFL Security and other corridors of the NFL office,” Goodell is not likely to be one of those impacted. Even though his public approval rating might have reached its nadir, he will almost certainly remain the league commissioner long after the Rice investigation has concluded.