The National Football League is the apex of what amounts to modern day gladiator sport. In it – and in the leagues that feed it – men train to extremes so as to gain the strength, speed, strategy and aggression to take on rivals of the same caliber. The culture is deeply competitive, and, at a minimum, quasi-violent. Coupled with the rampant injuries of various physical and cognitive intensity, it is not unsurprising that players’ professional personas as warrior-athletes cross into their personal lives in altogether unacceptable ways. The league that cultivates the culture of aggression endemic – perhaps even essential – to a sport wherein physical strength and the ability to dominate give players’ a critical edge must work doubly hard, then, to ensure that the those attributes stay on the field. The NFL has failed to do so.
Since 2006, when Roger Goodell became the league’s commissioner, there have been 57 domestic violence episodes involving players, according to a USA Today analysis. Of those, just 10 players were cut from their teams while 34 cases provoked no punishment from the NFL whatsoever. Further, the analysis suggests that players facing domestic violence charges were often able to avoid the harshest criminal sentences. This data makes clear that the NFL is, at best, inconsistent in how it sanctions players who commit domestic violence. Worse, it inspires no confidence that the NFL is particularly troubled that it takes place so frequently.
Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice brought the shortcomings into stark relief when he was issued a two-game suspension for punching his then-girlfriend in the face and dragging her out of an elevator. Goodell rightly backtracked from the wrist-slap and expanded Rice’s suspension to six games, whereupon the Ravens cut Rice when a security camera video of the assault went viral. Goodell and the NFL have swiftly announced plans to redouble domestic violence prevention and education efforts while strengthening the league’s response to any such incidents. The NFL also identified the larger social problem at hand and vowed to embark on efforts to prevent and curb domestic violence and sexual assault outside the league. As Goodell said unequivocally in a letter to NFL owners, “These steps are based on a clear, simple principle: domestic violence and sexual assault are wrong. They are illegal. They have no place in the NFL and are unacceptable in any way, under any circumstances.”
Nevertheless, these changes must be implemented quickly, consistently and comprehensively if they are to succeed in spurring a needed cultural shift at the NFL. Failing to do so will make Goodell’s strong statements so much lip service and given the league’s track record in Milquetoast enforcement of its conduct standards, would be sending a very different message – to its players, their partners and children, and the league’s fans and sponsors – than the one Goodell intends.
