Roger Goodell - Pro Football Rumors

NFLPA Files Motion Against Goodell In Peterson Case

May 19th, 2015 at 3:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFLPA is gearing up to fight two massive battles against the league. The union announced on Tuesday that it has filed a motion in Federal Court in the Adrian Peterson matter to hold the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell in contempt of court. The strongly worded statement from NFLPA president Eric Winston is below, in its entirety:

“Today, the players filed a motion in Federal Court in the Adrian Peterson matter because the Commissioner and NFL have deliberately ignored both the Court’s decision from eleven weeks ago and our repeated requests to comply with that order.

On February 26th, the NFL was ordered to change their decision in the Peterson matter and reissue a ruling consistent with our collective bargaining agreement. The Union made multiple requests to the League office asking the arbitrator, who serves at the direction of the Commissioner, to comply with the law and avoid further litigation. Despite our attempts, they have done nothing and leave us no choice but to seek this motion.

The delay tactics, inconsistencies and arbitrary decision making of the League has continued to hurt the rights of players, the credibility of the League office and the integrity of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. In the absence of any action by the NFL’s governing board of owners, the players have acted to hold the NFL accountable to our players, the CBA and to the law.”

According to the NFLPA’s court filing, attorney Jeffrey Kessler contacted Harold Henderson and NFL counsel and warned them of a possible contempt motion, Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports tweets. League counsel Dan Nash, according to the NFLPA, insisted that Henderson delay any ruling until the 8th Circuit court rules on the appeal, which will take months (link).

The union also goes after the NFL for acting in defiance of court orders by retroactively applying the new personal conduct policy to Greg Hardy (link). If the NFLPA can win this battle regarding Peterson, it could go a long way towards potentially reducing Hardy’s suspension.

NFLPA Moves To Recuse Goodell From Brady Appeal

May 19th, 2015 at 3:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFLPA announced that it has formally requested that commissioner Roger Goodell recuse himself as the arbitrator in Tom Brady‘s disciplinary appeal. The statement reads:

“Given a process that has contained procedural violations of our collective bargaining agreement, the Commissioner’s role as a central witness in the appeal hearing and his evident partiality with respect to the Wells report, the Commissioner must designate a neutral party to serve as an arbitrator in this matter. The players also believe that the Commissioner’s history of inconsistently issuing discipline against our players makes him ill-suited to hear this appeal in a fair-minded manner. If the NFL believes the Ted Wells report has credibility because it is independent, then the NFL should embrace our request for an independent review.”

The demand has been formally made by the union, but don’t expect the commissioner to cave. Indications leading up to the meetings continue to be that Goodell won’t step aside as he wants to talk to Brady himself, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets.

Extra Points: Deflategate, CBA, Tebow

May 17th, 2015 at 9:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

We heard earlier that Tom Brady‘s suspension may not in fact be reduced, but the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin cites some inconsistencies that need justification from Ted Wells as the Deflategate saga continues to gain depth.

The main issue Volin takes with Wells is why he charged the Patriots with not cooperating with his investigation fully. Specifically, the Boston reporter points out Wells had the “deflator” text from Jim McNally in his possession before meeting with him, but his team did not find it until after McNally’s deposition because the text was from May 2014.

The Patriots refused to make McNally available again due to the apparent lack of due diligence from Wells’ team, citing a February email from team attorney Daniel Goldberg to Wells that stated barring “unanticipated circumstances” there would be no second interviews with subjects.

“You refused to give me the information I requested except to say that the topic was ‘new,’ ” Goldberg wrote in an email to Wells on March 9 that the Patriots released Sunday regarding Wells’ request for a second summit with McNally. “It turned out, however, that the topic involved asking about texts that you had before his prior interview — so it was not something that arose from extraordinary or unanticipated circumstances, but was apparently just something you neglected to pursue in his earlier interview.”

Volin requested Wells’ end of the email chain from the NFL but did not receive those before publishing this story.

More from around the league on Sunday night …

Roger Goodell‘s ability to hear Brady’s appeal is not a power he’s unearthed from nowhere. The provision of safeguarding the game’s integrity has been present since the first CBA in 1968, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. This provided then-commissioner Pete Rozelle power to impose discipline and designate the hearing officer for any appeals regarding issues of conduct detrimental to the “integrity of the game.”
Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are not discussing a fully guaranteed contract, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Condotta adds that, while the amount of guaranteed money will play a key role in this extension, teams must provide the full amount of the fully guaranteed deal up front. The player doesn’t receive it all then, but the amount must be accounted for — similar to Ndamukong Suh‘s deal with the Dolphins this year, with some of the money being placed in an escrow account for future payment — to prevent teams from not following through on financial promises.
Tim Tebow‘s odds of making an impact with the Eagles appear slim as of now, but Zach Berman of Philly.com writes the 6-foot-3, 236-pound quarterback could be of use should the Eagles’ extra point proposal, which would place two-point conversions at the 1-yard line, pass this week at the NFL owners’ meetings. Although the Eagles didn’t attempt a two-point play last year, they went 3-for-8 in 2013. Tebow’s scored from the 1-yard line in each of his three attempts and converted first downs on six of eight 1-yard-to-go scenarios in his last starting role in 2011. Berman also adds the Eagles’ preference for DeMarco Murray‘s north-south running style will help here, with Murray’s six 1-yard scores leading the league last season. So a lot could be riding on this week’s proposal in Philadelphia.
Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt is “pretty much up to full speed” after sustaining a torn pectoral muscle last season, writes Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Sid Hartman. Brandon Fusco is not quite as far along after tearing a pectoral muscle, according to Mike Zimmer. With Charlie Johnson, a four-year starter on Minnesota’s front at either left tackle or left guard, still an unrestricted free agent, the Vikings are contemplating a reshuffle to fill the gaps. A starting right guard for two full seasons and three games into last year before suffering the chest injury, Fusco could potentially move to left guard, and rookie tackle T.J. Clemmings could begin his career by lining up at right guard.
The Chargers will not keep any of the 15 tryout players they brought in, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter).
Adrian Robinson, a former NFL linebacker and recent CFL cog, died Saturday night at the age of 25, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. The cause of death was unknown. Robinson played for the Steelers, Broncos, Chargers and Washington from 2012-13 and was a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Latest On Tom Brady’s Appeal, DeflateGate

May 15th, 2015 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL Players Association has officially published the appeal letter it sent to the NFL on behalf of Tom Brady, making it available through the union’s website. Within the letter, the NFLPA argues that the league violated the CBA by allowing league executive Troy Vincent to hand a four-game suspension to Brady, since he is not authorized to impose discipline. The union added that it plans to call Vincent and commissioner Roger Goodell as witnesses for its appeal, which means – according to the NFLPA – the case should be arbitrated by someone without close ties to the NFL.

As we prepare for the next stage of this contentious process, let’s round up the latest items on DeflateGate and Brady’s appeal….

Goodell will likely interview suspended Patriots employees John Jastremski and Jim McNally as witnesses for Brady’s appeal, per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
After Ted Wells was given a blank check and no deadline for his DeflateGate report by Goodell and the league, it will be difficult for the commissioner to disregard that report and conclude that its conclusions are inaccurate, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio points out that Goodell may have appointed himself as the arbitrator in this case because it avoids putting the league in a position where another arbitrator “overturns or undermines” the Wells report, embarrassing the NFL.
Speaking of Wells, his statements to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (Twitter links) about the timeline of his investigation contradict information in the report itself, as Florio explains in a separate PFT piece.
Goodell’s decision to hear Brady’s appeal himself “virtually assures” that it will wind up as a court case, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Florio tweets that a lawsuit will likely be filed soon in an effort to get Goodell to step aside as arbitrator.
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe breaks down the Patriots’ rebuttal to the Wells report, writing that it makes some good points but falls short in answering a few crucial questions.

Roger Goodell To Hear Tom Brady’s Appeal

May 14th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Zachary Links

9:32pm: The NFL has released a statement confirming that Goodell will hear the appeal, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. The statement indicates that NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent was the one who determined the punishment with Goodell being the one to “authorize” it.

9:15pm: Commissioner Roger Goodell will hear Tom Brady‘s appeal, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Earlier today, the NFLPA formally filed its appeal on behalf of Brady and asked for a neutral arbitrator to preside over the case. Needless to say, this isn’t exactly what they had in mind.

The collective bargaining agreement, signed in 2011, allows the league’s commissioner to oversee appeals. Goodell could have vacated that position, but he will invoke his right to rule on the appeal.

Brady has armed himself with a top notch legal team that includes labor attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who recently represented Adrian Peterson in his suspension appeal. The Patriots, meanwhile, also seem ready to go to war with the league office. The franchise’s legal counsel published a rebuttal to the Wells report earlier today that is nearly 20,000 words long.

Patriots Notes: DeflateGate, Goodell, Kraft

May 14th, 2015 at 7:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Two NFL owners tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that they strongly support the punishments handed down by Roger Goodell to the Patriots, stating that he acted to uphold the integrity of the game. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has also come out in support of Goodell. All in all, Cole estimates that Goodell’s support has increased in the aftermath of DeflateGate, not down as many predicted. More on the Patriots..

As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com talks with more people in the game about how much a mildly deflated football really matters, he’s getting the sense that DeflateGate will go down as one of the more overblown scandals in NFL history. The lengths that the investigation has gone to, in terms of time, money, and resources, are staggering to many. People are also questioning the level of scientific proof presented in the report.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft is taking his DeflateGate battle against the NFL to absurd new levels, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News opines. Kraft is loudly defiant that his organization isn’t guilty of what they’re accused of, but the Pats have already admitted to cheating once before. Vacchiano also pokes fun at the notion that Jim McNally, the Pats employee that supposedly deflated footballs for Tom Brady, called himself “The Deflator” because he was trying to lose weight.
The few passages of believability were overshadowed by mountains of nonsense, including the McNally excuse, Manish Mehta of the Daily News writes. Mehta also found it strange that the Pats went to great lengths to defend John Jastremski and McNally one week after indefinitely suspending them.

Tom Brady Suspension Coming Next Week?

May 8th, 2015 at 7:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Roger Goodell is expected to suspend Tom Brady next week, sources informed Gary Myers of the New York Daily News.

Sources close to Goodell have little doubt the commissioner is viewing DeflateGate as a “serious violation,” which will prompt, in Myers’ view, the highest-profile player suspended in the NFL’s 96 years. The Patriots are bracing for a suspension of Brady that could last as long as eight games, according to CSNNE.com’s Mike Girardi.

After the 37-year-old Brady landed as the notable figure in this week’s DeflateGate report, the Pats are preparing for what would be a startling suspension for a player of Brady’s caliber and one that could define defending Super Bowl champions’ season. Pundits and sources around the league have the potential Brady-less portion of the Pats season hovering between two and 16 games.

Myers does think the commissioner will be more lenient that Girardi’s report would lead you to believe, with a two-game suspension expected after possibly an appeal-induced reduction from four. But the Daily News reporter adds that the sources believe there is enough, between Brady’s alleged ordering of footballs to be deflated and lack of cooperation with Wells’ investigation by not turning over his cell phone, to warrant a suspension.

Myers’ sources said previous reports of a 16-game suspension are “way off,” however.

In the time span that appears to be the floor of a potential Brady suspension, the Patriots open the season with a home tilt against the Steelers before traveling to face the Bills. Jimmy Garoppolo enters his second year after having completed 19-of-27 passes as a rookie exclusively during inconsequential sequences. New England finished 11-5 in 2008, its last season that featured games without Brady’s services.

Extra Points: Collins, Fletcher, Jets

May 7th, 2015 at 10:37pm CST by Zachary Links

How busy is commissioner Roger Goodell? So busy that LSU coach Les Miles couldn’t get through when he tried to call and vouch for La’el Collins, as Jim Kleinpeter of The Times-Picayune writes. “Why wouldn’t that (supplemental draft) be what it’s for. Explain to me why that’s not perfect for this (situation). Some guys would have passed and some said yeah. He (Collins) would have gotten his spot,” Miles said. “This is a guy who is still going to make money, long term. I’d like to see an adjustment made now.” Ultimately, Collins did not get into the supplemental draft, but he has found a home with the Cowboys. Here’s more from around the NFL..

There’s nothing official yet, but there’s a “good chance” that Patriots will sign linebacker Dane Fletcher, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com tweets. The Pats have been seeking guys with experience to give depth to the linebacker position.
Some wondered aloud if the Colts were taking T.Y. Hilton‘s eventual replacement when they selected Phillip Dorsett out of Miami. The choice came as a surprise to some, but not to Hilton himself, Zak Keefer of the Indy Star writes. “There’s nothing I can do about that. That’s who they picked. That’s cool with me…Nothing in this league should surprise anybody,” said Hilton, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. “(It was) a pick that they thought we needed, so I guess that’s what we needed to help this team.”
Dom Green, who was recently let go as the Chiefs’ assistant college scouting director, is up for a job with the Jets‘ personnel department, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Extra Points: RFAs, Goodell, Bush, Taylor, Colts

March 23rd, 2015 at 11:35am CST by Luke Adams

As Mike Wilkering of Pro Football Talk observes, while most of 2015’s top unrestricted free agents are off the board, there are still plenty of intriguing restricted free agents available. 20 of this year’s RFAs remain unsigned and received the low-end tender from their respective clubs, meaning a rival suitor wouldn’t have to give up a draft pick to sign them away.

Often, restricted free agents won’t draw a ton of interest and will simply return to their previous teams, but that’s not always the case. A year ago, RFAs like Andrew Hawkins and Rafael Bush signed offer sheets with other teams — Bush’s sheet was matched by the Saints, but the Bengals didn’t match Hawkins’ offer from the Browns.

This year, low-end RFAs like Ravens safety Will Hill, Eagles running back Chris Polk, Raiders wideout Andre Holmes, and Washington kicker Kai Forbath remain on the market. A handful of players – such as Browns safety Tashaun Gipson and Ravens kicker Justin Tucker – also received second-round tenders, but rival teams aren’t likely to give those players big contracts and surrender a second-round pick for them.

As we wait to see whether any restricted free agents change teams, let’s check in on a few more notes from around the NFL….

Roger Goodell didn’t reveal much to Peter King of TheMMQB.com during his sitdown with him, but the commissioner did strongly suggest the extra point will undergo some changes before next season, and added that the DeflateGate investigation is nearing an end.
As King hinted at in his column, Goodell informed owners at this week’s league meetings in Phoenix that Todd Jones, former Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, is joining the NFL as as special counsel for conduct, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Jones will pair with Lisa Friel as the league’s new personal conduct czars.
After running the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds at this weekend’s veteran combine in Arizona, Michael Bush admitted that his NFL career is probably over, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk details.
Free agent cornerback Ike Taylor isn’t seeking out offers from teams to continue his playing career, and while he hasn’t made the decision to retire quite yet, the longtime Steeler is exploring potential television opportunities, writes Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Michael Silver of NFL.com takes a look at the roster-building approach employed by Colts GM Ryan Grigson, as Indianapolis enters win-now mode by signing several veteran free agents like Andre Johnson, Frank Gore, Trent Cole, and Todd Herremans.

King’s Latest: Peterson, Cowboys, Forsett

March 11th, 2015 at 8:38am CST by Luke Adams

Following a wild Tuesday in the NFL, Peter King of TheMMQB.com introduced a one-time-only Wednesday Morning Quarterback column to reflect on yesterday’s highlights from around the NFL. The piece included a handful of interesting tidbits worth passing along, so let’s dive in….

King hears that running back Adrian Peterson hasn’t changed his mind about wanting out of Minnesota, and notes that if a team like the Jaguars or Raiders ends up landing DeMarco Murray, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys could be willing to move a draft pick for the Vikings star.
Speaking of Murray and the Cowboys, LeSean McCoy‘s lucrative new contract with the Bills is having a “chilling effect” on Dallas’ efforts to re-sign the NFL’s leading rusher, says King.
The Ravens would very much like to re-sign Justin Forsett, but are expected to bow out if the bidding gets too high.
Seahawks GM John Schneider only had first-round grades on 16 players in this year’s draft class, so when he parted with the No. 31 overall pick in yesterday’s Jimmy Graham trade, he essentially viewed that pick as a second-rounder.
The league appears to be concerned, but “not fuming,” over all the contract agreements that were leaked before the start of the free agent period. We heard yesterday that the league had asked teams to hang onto their phone records, but King doesn’t believe we’ll see much more than “an angry finger-wag” at teams and their general managers.
Jameis Winston met with commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL officials last Thursday, in a meeting that was instigated by the young quarterback and his camp, writes King. The purpose of the sit-down was to allow Winston to tell his own story about his history of off-field incidents, and to get the lay of the land for his future in the NFL. “He went out of his way to make a good impression, and to show that he understood what was going to be expected of him in the NFL,” one league official told King.