We see it every year, mostly in the offseason. NFL players getting into trouble for domestic violence or testing positive for some type of illegal substance. Every year the NFL suspends these players, sometimes drawing criticism over suspension inconsistency. I am one of those people that from time to time will criticize the NFL over the length of the suspension. It just feels like there’s no standard in place for the commissioner, Roger Goodell, to go off of for any domestic violence cases or assault cases. Sometimes it feels like he wakes up and just throws a dart at a dart board and what ever number it lands on is how long a player gets suspended for.
My issue with the suspension inconsistency
The biggest criticism I have with how he handles these suspensions is players that are involved in domestic violence/assault cases and players that test positive for illegal substances. The issue is the suspension inconsistency between players getting suspended for domestic violence or assault and players getting suspended for substance abuse policy. It feels like there’s no 3 strikes and your out. Look at Adam Jones whole career. Almost once a year, Jones was involved with some type of legal issue, most of them being assaults. Why wasn’t he banned indefinitely like David Irving from the Dallas Cowboys?
Another player that is going down the same path as Adam Jones is Ezeikel Elliot. This up coming season will be his 4th in the league. With already being suspended 6 games in 2017, he had another meeting with the NFL offices. He was involved in an incident that happened at a Vegas music festival back in May. There’s video showing Elliot pushing over an event staff member, which in turn knocked over a guard rail. Now he did not receive a punishment for this but he should have received something. Especially since you can hear him say “do you have something to say?” to the staff member. I think he should have gotten some type of punishment. Definitely more then what he got in the past since he’s a repeat offender of the personal conduct policy. I mean, that’s what happened to Randy Gregory. He broke the substance abuse policy three times and now is suspended indefinitely.
So the suspension inconsistency in the NFL between the personal conduct policy and substance abuse policy needs to be fixed. There has to be harsher suspensions for domestic violence or assault cases compared to a player testing positive for weed. If they set it up where if your caught on video physically attacking someone, or are found being guilty after an NFL investigation, then it should automatic 6 games. Do it again and it’s a year. Third time and you’re done. Make it a life time ban.
