NEW ORLEANS – Ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving diversity hiring, pro football’s ever-expanding global reach, a potential 18-game season, the state of officiating and Tom Brady dominated the topic of discussion during NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s annual state of the league/Super Bowl Week kickoff news conference Monday at Caesars Superdome.
Advertisement
During a 45-minute session, which occurred hours before the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs took center stage for Super Bowl opening night, Goodell painted a positive picture about the health of the league.
Whether it was advancement opportunities for people of color, overall growth of the league, the credibility of game officials and Brady, who has drawn scrutiny while juggling his job as a TV analyst and a co-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, Goodell was bullish on how the league is handling its most pressing topics.
And with the Super Bowl taking place at a time when the country is reeling from multiple tragedies, from the terror attack in New Orleans on Jan. 1, to the California wildfires to the plane crashes in D.C. and Philadelphia, Goodell said the NFL welcomes the opportunity to help heal, support and unite.
“I think it’s an understanding of our place in society, frankly,” Goodell said, “and I think that’s evolved over a period of time where people expect the NFL to respond in a positive way, and to take that opportunity to obviously observe the tragedy and mourn that, but also to be able to share a moment, to sort of inspire people. …When we are able to use our platform in a way where we can show that, we can show compassion, we can show the first responders, we can show how people are helping one another. Our players are reaching out, our coaches are reaching out. You see all that. I think it’s inspiring. I think it’s a way to bring everyone together, and we use that platform in a way that recognizes our society and hopefully does have that positive impact.”
Goodell went on to weigh in on a range of topics:
Officiating and technology
Goodell was asked about the theory that the Kansas City Chiefs receive preferential treatment from game officials, and he scoffed at the notion, saying, “Well, this sort of reminds me a little bit of the script, right? That I write a script for the entire season.” He then called the favorable treatment conspiracy “a ridiculous theory.”
Advertisement
Goodell said that the NFL closely monitors its game officials both in their on-field performances, and in their everyday lives to ensure that they are not guilty of unethical practices. He said he has “never seen a more dedicated group of people than our NFL officials to getting it right, to doing the best job they possibly can.”
Goodell did say that it’s possible that the NFL could expand its use of technology to support its officials. Talks this offseason between owners will likely involve an expansion of the replay assist system, meaning that the replay official could consult replays on questionable plays and instantly direct a call reversal on certain plays rather than require coaches challenges on some. Late hits and roughing the passer rank among plays that could soon be included on the list of reviewable plays.
GO DEEPER
Sick of Patrick Mahomes drawing penalties? You’re hardly the only one
Goodell also said that the NFL will continue testing an electronic system for first down measurements and ball placement.
“I do think that technology will exist sometime in the future. We’re continuing (discussions) with our partners on how to advance that as quickly as possible so we can get to that place,” Goodell said.
The 18-game season
Although Goodell hasn’t been shy about the direction the league is headed, he said that “there’s a lot of work to be done” before the NFL’s owners and the NFL Players Association are at a point where they can hold formal negotiations regarding an expansion of the schedule. Eventually, we’ll see the NFL expand from 17 regular season games to 18, and Goodell said that he and NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell have had preliminary discussions about the matter. But additional information is needed — whether it’s how the league can better prevent injuries, or financial concessions that need to be made — before the sides come to a bargaining table on such a topic.
Advertisement
The current CBA, which is set up for 17 games, runs through 2030, although negotiations could begin several years earlier.
Diversity hiring
Despite another hiring cycle that renewed frustrations for coaches and front office members of color, and despite a political climate that has seen President Donald Trump do away with programs dedicated to ensuring diversity, equality and inclusion hiring practices, Goodell remains optimistic about the direction of the league on this front.
This winter saw two Black NFL coaches fired after just one season and one Black general manager fired after his second season on the job. Meanwhile, hiring processes conducted by several teams raised questions about the effectiveness of the Rooney Rule — the league’s initiative designed to create advancement opportunities for aspiring head coaches and general managers of color. One Black man landed a head coaching job and no people of color secured a general manager position.
However, despite frustrations of assistants who came away from interviews wondering if they had simply helped teams check the boxes, Goodell remained unwavering in his stance that the NFL cares about and embraces diversity.
“I believe that our diversity efforts have led to making the NFL better,” Goodell said. “It’s been attracting better talent. We think we’re better. We get different perspectives from people with different backgrounds, whether they’re women or men or people of color, we make ourselves stronger, and we make ourselves better when we have that, and it’s something that I think will have a tremendous impact on this league for many, many years. We always win on the field with the best talent and the best coaching, and I think the same is true off the field also.”
GO DEEPER
Jones: NFL’s next step in improving diversity? Look at the offensive coordinators
Goodell’s efforts have led to improved diversity in the league offices, but league owners remain slow to embrace change. Goodell insisted that the Rooney Rule remains an effective tool to encourage team officials to widen the net they cast, and despite Trump’s directives, the commissioner vowed that the NFL wouldn’t take steps backwards on the diversity front.
“Listen, we got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven ourselves, that it does make the NFL better. So we’re not in this because it’s a trend to get into it or a trend to get out of it. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League, both on and off the field, as I said from previously. … And so, we’ll continue those efforts.”
Advertisement
Goodell went onto stress, “The Rooney rule for us is not — there’s no requirement to hire a particular individual on basis of race or gender. It’s simply the basis of looking at a canvas of candidates that reflect our communities, and to look at the kind of talent that exists there, and then you make the best decision on who is hired. And so many of us, including the National Football League, our office, are doing that voluntarily at all levels, because it has benefited us, and I hear that from companies on a global basis, is that that’s a very strong practice that we are adopting.”
The Patriots drew the most scrutiny this hiring cycle because of the perception that New England owner Robert Kraft hastily interviewed two Black coaches who were out of work, Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton, to satisfy the Rooney Rule when he already had plans to hire Mike Vrabel as head coach. Multiple assistant coaches around the league have expressed hesitancy to continue to accept invitations for interviews that they suspect are simply Rooney Rule requirements. But Goodell said he remained hopeful that coaches wouldn’t limit their opportunities to market themselves to teams because of those concerns. He said the league follows up with candidates to learn about how interview processes went so he and his staff can learn and hold teams accountable.
GO DEEPER
Will this offseason’s gains for Black NFL coaches last? ‘Let’s see how this plays out’
Tom Brady’s two hats
When Brady signed with Fox as their lead game analyst while also pursuing an ownership stake with the Las Vegas Raiders, numerous owners from competing teams raised concerns that Brady’s TV work would allow him to gain inside information and an unfair advantage for the Raiders.
The NFL put in preventative measures, which include prohibiting Brady from visiting opposing teams’ headquarters with his Fox broadcast team members. Brady also isn’t allowed to criticize officials.
Goodell said that the league could review the situation in the offseason, but for now, he believes that Brady is adhering to all requirements.
“I think that Tom has been incredibly cooperative,” Goodell said. “He calls frequently about it and says, ‘Am I doing OK?’ And I think he’s serious about making sure that he separates these two and he doesn’t put the league or anyone in the position of conflict.”
Growth of the game
The NFL this week is expected to announce its next new international host city. The game would take place in 2026. During his conference, Goodell offered his prediction that the NFL will one day have a franchise based full-time in an international city, and that if that took place, eventually, the league would host an international Super Bowl.
For now, the league’s efforts towards growth includes pursuing a goal for 16 international games each season. This year, the goal, however, is to hold eight games outside of the U.S.
GO DEEPER
What the NFL considers when choosing international game stadiums and teams
Goodell also said the league is “working aggressively” to launch a professional women’s flag football league and a professional men’s flag football league while also working with the Olympics on the introduction of flag football to the L.A. Games in 2028.
That news of the potential NFL-sponsored pro flag football leagues came on the same day that Louisiana approved the sanctioning of girls flag football as a high school sport, becoming the 15th state to do so.
“I’m excited for the young women … that they’re getting the opportunity to take part in our sport,” Goodell said.
GO DEEPER
Why flag football’s Olympics inclusion has been ‘rocket fuel’ for growth, especially among women
(Photo: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
