NEW ORLEANS – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell disputed the notion that officers favor the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, saying it’s a “ridiculous principle.”
Goodell addressed a number of matters, together with range, an 18-game season, worldwide enlargement, Tom Brady’s twin position as a broadcaster and co-owner and extra throughout his annual information convention that kicked off Tremendous Bowl week on Monday.
The Chiefs are going for a three-peat Sunday in a rematch towards the Philadelphia Eagles, who misplaced to Kansas Metropolis 38-35 two years in the past.
The 2-time defending champions have benefited from calls which have gone their method within the playoffs. There have been two roughing-the-passer penalties throughout a 23-14 victory over Houston within the divisional spherical that viewers, together with Fox broadcasters Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, thought of egregious.
A questionable spot on Josh Allen’s sneak on fourth-and-1 within the fourth quarter of Kansas Metropolis’s 32-29 victory over Buffalo within the AFC championship recreation grew to become a significant level of competition.
“Plenty of these theories are issues that occur in social media they usually get a brand new life,” Goodell stated throughout his 48-minute information convention contained in the Saints’ locker room. “I perceive that. I feel it displays a whole lot of the followers’ ardour and is a reminder for us on how necessary officiating is. I feel the women and men officiating the NFL are excellent. We’ve the very best doable requirements. It’s a ridiculous principle for anybody who would possibly take it severely. However on the finish of the day it’s one thing we’ve got to work at, how will we make our officiating higher.”
Goodell stated the league evaluates officers in a number of methods.
“It’s not simply the efficiency on the sphere however issues that go on in their very own lives.” Goodell stated. “We monitor that very intently in plenty of methods. …. It’s a troublesome job, a extremely onerous job. I’ve by no means seen a extra devoted group of individuals to getting it proper, doing the very best job they presumably can. And I’m happy with the work they do.”
NFL govt Kimberly Fields instructed The Related Press final week the league plans to have interaction its Competitors Committee on expertise to take digital line-to-gain measurements subsequent season, however officers will proceed to identify the soccer.
“What this expertise can not do is take the place of the human aspect in figuring out the place ahead progress ends,” Fields stated. “There’ll all the time be a human official recognizing the ball. As soon as the ball is noticed, then the line-to-gain expertise truly does the measurement itself.”
Goodell stated the league will proceed to work with companions to develop the expertise wanted to doubtlessly assist with recognizing the ball sooner or later.
Variety
Goodell stated he doesn’t imagine the NFL’s insurance policies to advertise range are in battle with the Trump administration’s efforts to ban range, fairness and inclusion packages within the federal authorities.
The NFL has guidelines in place that require groups to interview numerous candidates for key teaching and entrance workplace positions as a part of the Rooney Rule that has been in place for greater than twenty years.
A number of NFL homeowners contributed to Donald Trump’s marketing campaign or conservative causes through the 2024 election cycle.
“Our homeowners take part in all the pieces that we do,” Goodell stated. “Our insurance policies have been designed to be nicely throughout the legislation, nicely throughout the observe. There are not any quotas in our system. That is about opening that funnel and bringing the very best expertise into the NFL.
“We additionally imagine we’re doing the correct factor for the NFL and our insurance policies are in line with the present administration in addition to the final administration.”
Worldwide enlargement
The NFL is aiming to have a group exterior the USA.
“I do suppose there’s potential that sometime we could have a world franchise. If we do, it could not shock me in any respect if a Tremendous Bowl follows and is performed there,” Goodell stated.
The NFL has made a giant effort to develop its footprint worldwide with video games performed in England, Germany, Mexico and Brazil lately with a recreation scheduled for 2025 in Spain.
However as of now, the Tremendous Bowls have been performed in NFL stadiums and worldwide websites haven’t been thought of.
A Tremendous Bowl exterior of North America would current challenges by way of time zones for the U.S.-based broadcasters.
18-game season
Goodell stated there’s “a whole lot of work to be completed” earlier than the NFL presumably expands its season to 18 regular-season video games.
The league hasn’t had formal negotiations with the gamers’ union about including a recreation to the season however Goodell stated he has had casual discussions with NFLPA govt director Lloyd Howell Jr.
The NFL added a seventeenth recreation and lower the preseason from 4 video games to 3 earlier than the 2021 season and Goodell has indicated an curiosity in finally including one other regular-season recreation.
“If we do, 18 and a couple of is perhaps a chance,” he stated. “We all know followers love soccer they usually need extra soccer. However we’ve got to be extremely delicate and sensible with the steadiness and the way we take care of that.”
Goodell stated modifications the league has made by way of gear, and coaching within the offseason and preseason have helped scale back the variety of concussions and different accidents, making including a further recreation extra palatable.
Tom Brady
The league will contemplate whether or not guidelines surrounding Tom Brady’s position as an analyst for Fox and a minority proprietor of the Las Vegas Raiders must be altered in any method.
Brady was formally authorised as a minority proprietor of the Raiders in Las Vegas and performed a giant position through the group’s seek for a brand new coach and common supervisor final month that led to the hiring of Pete Carroll and John Spytek.
The seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion can be in his first season as an analyst for Fox and is beneath guidelines that stop his entry to group services and manufacturing conferences with gamers and coaches.
Brady is beneath the identical tampering guidelines as every other member of the league and has checked in often to ensure he isn’t violating any guidelines.
“I feel he’s severe that he separates these two and he doesn’t put the league or anybody ready of battle,” Goodell stated.
Justin Tucker
The NFL plans to look into the “severe” allegations that Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct with a number of therapeutic massage therapists.
9 therapeutic massage therapists from 5 spas and wellness facilities have instructed the Baltimore Banner that Tucker engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct throughout periods from 2012-16.
Tucker stated in an announcement final week that he has by no means obtained any complaints from a therapeutic massage therapist or been instructed he was not welcome at a spa or different workplace.
“They’re clearly severe points and he’s taking that severely as are we,” Goodell stated.
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