Meet the New NFL Policy – Same as the Old Policy

Washington, D.C. – Roger Goodell woke up this morning with a big PR problem.  NFL team owners were gathering in Texas today for their final scheduled meeting before the end of the season, and Goodell knew he had to say something about how the league handles allegations of domestic violence.

Goodell’s answer?  Meet the new policy—same as the old policy.

The victim is an afterthought in this “new” policy — as she was in the old policy.  There is no guarantee that economic support will be there for as long as it takes for a victim to get back on her feet, and no indication that the NFL even understands that a 6-game unpaid suspension could spark even higher level of violence.

The decision about 6-game suspension should hinge on a lethality assessment — not on how guilty the NFL thinks the player is, but how dangerous the situation is based on the lethality assessment.

Once again, Roger Goodell’s focus is on window dressing rather than effective, systemic change. NOW continues to call Goodell’s behavior shameful, unacceptable and impossible to defend. Roger Goodell must stop scrambling to save his own career, and resign without delay.

 

Contact: Elise Coletta, elise@now.org, (951) 547-1241