Roger Goodell may think the 32 NFL owners have his back amid the ongoing turmoil in the league’s front office, but plenty of current and former football players wanted blood Friday, with some calling for the commissioner’s resignation after his hollow midtown press conference.
“As long as Roger Goodell is leading the NFL and he’s the face behind the shield, you will have the same emotions you had today watching this press conference. Listening to him speak in circles, wondering, ‘Man, what is this guy talking about?’ ” said former Patriots linebacker and current ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi.(NFL, Roger GoodelL, roger, godell, commissioner, espn, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, espn.com, cnn, cnn.com, )
“So as you continue and move forward and Roger Goodell is the commissioner, you will continue to feel that way every time you see him. In my personal opinion, being a former player that spent 13 years in this league trying to do the right thing, I want a new commissioner to lead my league. I want a new commissioner to go out there and say the right things and be that leader because right now, Roger Goodell is not that and I don’t think he can ever be that.(NFL, Roger GoodelL, roger, godell, commissioner, espn, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, espn.com, cnn, cnn.com, )
“Roger Goodell needs to step down and move on.”
Although Goodell promised changes to what he described as a broken disciplinary system – especially with regard to the league’s personal conduct policy and how it’s administered — many football pundits weighed in while the press conference was happening or shortly after it concluded. The remarks were not pretty.(NFL, Roger GoodelL, roger, godell, commissioner, espn, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, espn.com, cnn, cnn.com, )
Baltimore receiver Torrey Smith tweeted: “What Roger just said is the exact same thing that players say when they make a mistake and plead their case.”
“This dude is up here telling lies. . . . It’s unbelievable,” tweeted Myles White, a former Green Bay receiver. “So is Roger Goodell going to Resign or No? If not then we don’t got anything to talk about.”
ESPN flashed one of former Seahawk Sidney Rice’s tweets on the screen while Goodell spoke: “Boo this man…” Ouch.
“This press conference is pointless,” tweeted Colts cornerback Darius Butler. “Media could have saved a lot of $ and time and just asked him these questions on twitter. Much easier to ignore and answer what u want here.”(NFL, Roger GoodelL, roger, godell, commissioner, espn, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, espn.com, cnn, cnn.com, )
Former Jet Braylon Edwards tweeted: “It’s easy to pass judgement when you are the judge. Commissioner Goddell looks like a contestant on dancing with the stars with his stances.”
Ex-lineman and current ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth said: “The majority of players that play in this league right now and former players do not trust the commissioner of this league.” And former star QB Donovan McNabb tweeted: “Watching Roger Goodells presser made me feel like he’s still dancing around the fact that the tape was sent and received. Feel the same way?”
Goodell, for his part, said he never considered resigning in the past several weeks, as his league has faced a deluge of negative publicity over its handling of the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson domestic violence cases. Sidney Rice, however, wondered how Goodell was able to keep his job after so much fumbling.(NFL, Roger GoodelL, roger, godell, commissioner, espn, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, espn.com, cnn, cnn.com, )
“I know some people that got it wrong and don’t have a job anymore,” Rice tweeted. “Does this mean it’s ok to get it wrong? You gain 0 yards on an inc pass!”
