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Roger Goodell continues to get heat, criticized from all NFL angles lately
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has become a pinata.
Almost a year after Goodell was under extreme criticism following the release of the Ray Rice elevator video, he's still getting it. One of the league's best players, Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, was critical of him over the weekend. The son of one of the league's most prominent owners and a prominent figure himself, New England Patriots president Jonathan Kraft, said Goodell's power over disciplinary matters needs to be reconsidered.
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Goodell hadn't been publicly questioned by ownership, so Kraft wondering if Goodell needs to give up some of his power in disciplinary matters is worth noting. It's also worth noting that the Patriots are bitter at the NFL for how deflate-gate was handled, and for good reason. Kraft said that deflate-gate had nothing to do with his criticisms, but does anyone believe that?
"I think the world has changed and the complexity of some of the situations -- things that I don't think we ever thought we would be dealing with, we're dealing with," Kraft said on 98.5 The Hub, via ESPN.com.
"I think the league office, with the business of football, there is so much to handle day to day, and so much to do," he said. "I think there needs to be a prescribed process for how certain parts of the discipline process are going to work, especially probably the appeals, so that the spotlight and the attention doesn't all have to fall on Park Avenue. I'm not saying Park Avenue is capable or not capable. I'm not making a value judgment with what I'm saying. I think I'm just making a big-picture macro observation."
That isn't an outright verbal attack on Goodell, but it seems like an elaborate way to get those in power to wonder why Goodell has so much power, something he obviously covets. Again, it would probably be a stronger statement coming from someone in power whose team hasn't been outwardly hostile toward the league about a recent punishment.
Many players have taken shots at Goodell, but it was still interesting to hear Thomas' thoughts. Thomas, perhaps the league's best offensive lineman with eight Pro Bowls in eight years, is talented and thoughtful. And he criticized Goodell and the four-game suspension for Tom Brady in the deflate-gate controversy.
"I would equate what [Brady] did to driving 66 [mph] in a 65 speed zone, and getting the death penalty," Thomas told Pat McManamon of ESPN.com.
"If you want [quarterbacks] to play with a brand new football that comes out of the box, then make that the rule," Thomas said. "If you're going to allow them to break it in because you want more passing yards, then let them do whatever they want."
He also wondered — as many have through the summer while the NFL dominated the headlines during its supposedly dead time — if Goodell secretly liked the attention deflate-gate brought the league through what Thomas called a "witch hunt."
"I'm not sure if he realizes what he's doing is brilliant, but what he's doing is brilliant because he's made the NFL relevant 365 [days] by having these outrageous, ridiculous witch hunts," Thomas said. "It's made the game more popular than ever and it's become so much more of an entertainment business and it's making so much money."
Goodell's job security has been a constant topic of discussion, even before the Rice issue blew up. Part of his job and his enormous salary is to take on that criticism. And he's surely getting it from all angles lately.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
