NFL comissioner Roger Goodell ducked out of an appearance in Charlotte last night, after the report that New Jersey law enforcement officials did turn over video of Ray Rice punching his wife in the face to league officials in April.
But before that report broke, Goodell was making an appearance at a high school near Raleigh, and acknowledged that he felt the pressure that continues to build around his job.
“I feel the weight of the public every day,” Goodell said, via Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News and Observer. “I have to go earn my job every day. I have to continue to earn the trust. When you disappoint people, you have to figure out how to make sure you do it right the next time. I feel that weight. I don’t feel it any more than I do any other day.”
Perhaps he should, because scrutiny of his job is only growing, with an independent investigation pending and Washington starting to peek into his business.
That makes it even more important for him to not bungle future domestic violence cases.
Goodell said both Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy and 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald would fall under the new domestic violence policy, even though Hardy’s arrest and conviction (which has been appealed to a November jury trial) came before the policy changed.
“It’s very important to make sure we have all the facts and to make sure law enforcement has the opportunity to do what they need to do,” Goodell said of the two cases. “But then we have to make sure whatever action that we should take at the appropriate time, we’re in position to do.”
Being in position to do so is something many are wondering if Goodell will be, or should be.
