ESPN reports NFL commissioner Roger Goodell guessed that more than half of the NFL owners meetings Wednesday were dedicated to discussing the league's personal conduct policy and "social responsibility" issues.
The NFL is planning to reveal a new personal conduct policy sometime between now and the Super Bowl. Policy changes could include a smaller role for Goodell.
"As I have said, everything is on the table," Goodell said at the conclusion of the meetings at the Conrad Hotel in lower Manhattan. "We've been debating internally for well over a year whether there's a better process. At the same time, when something affects the integrity of the game, I think it's important for the commissioner to retain that authority."
Goodell and the NFL have come under immense public scrutiny for their management of several player conduct issues recently involving marquee players such as Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy. A handful of domestic violence incidents have occurred over the last few months alone. In order to properly address these issues, the NFL has brought in outside consultants to help develop its new personal conduct policy.
"I think everybody is committed to doing this in a thoughtful way and not just knee-jerk and do something quickly," said Lisa Friel, the former New York City sex crimes prosecutor who's advising the league on these matters and who addressed the owners Wednesday. "The owners were great. They were very thoughtful and they didn't all have the same opinion, which kind of emphasized how complicated the situation is."
Goodell and Friel both said that their discussions included what kinds of services the NFL can provide those involved during and after punishments, an appropriate time length for punishments and what role the commissioner should play in the punitive process. New York Giants owner John Mara said of the commissioner's involvement in disciplinary processes going forward, "I don't think it's out of the question that there will be some changes on that front."
Goodell has been given complete control over the personal conduct policy since 2007. The players have argued for a more neutral governing body in disciplinary matters that fall under this category, as Goodell normally doles out punishments and hears the appeals.
"People want simple solutions to complex problems," Goodell said. "But you're trying to balance the due process with making sure you're protecting the integrity of the game. My No. 1 job is protecting the integrity of the game, and I will not relent from that."
