NFL’s domestic violence move rings hollow
Has the NFL finally gotten the memo about the problem of domestic violence in the league?
Only when it comes to window dressing.
The NFL announced that it will not invite any players to the NFL combine who have misdemeanor or felony convictions involving weapons, domestic abuse or sexual assault.
“It is important for us to remain strongly committed to league values,” said Troy Vincent, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, “as we demonstrate to our fans, future players, coaches, general managers and others who support our game that character matters.”
Sounds great. Except that this is just about an invitation to the combine this month in Indianapolis. There’s no ban on drafting such players. And plenty of players don’t come to the combine at all, preferring to work out at a “pro day.” Players with records would still be allowed to work out for teams away from the combine.
Why will they be banned from the combine? Probably because the combine has become a television show, aired on the NFL Network. The NFL doesn’t want to put the spotlight on players with criminal records but still appears happily willing to employ them.
So, yes, more PR spin from a league that continuously fails to put action behind words.
During the Super Bowl festivities, a Fort Worth police report was released stating that quarterback Johnny Manziel hit his 23- year old girlfriend several times. She stated he threatened to kill her. This was not the first incident involving Manziel, but when Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the troubled quarterback, he gave a wandering nonspecific answer that talked about education, “including bystander awareness.”
Thanks to an arranged gathering of women, Goodell got to say “NFL Women’s Summit” several times during his state of the league address. But direct action on the biggest issues impacting women is still lacking.
Out of sight, out of mind. And, psst, if you have a domestic abuse conviction, a private workout can be arranged.