Sportsman of the Decade.

Roger Goodell 

Commissioner- National Football League

Cleaning the League up, one thug at a time

          The NFL in 2006 was in sambles. Players seemed to be apart of the National Felons League rather then the National Football League. Players were getting arrested, and not just on minor charges. Gun chargers, rape, spousal abuse and most notibly dog fighting. Under the former commissioner Paul Taglibue, players were punished but it was a basic slap on the wrist. It seems as if the owners didnt want to "tame" their player but they wouldnt mind if they were. It also seemed that although the NFL was the most popular sport in the USA, it didnt have clear cut role models for the youth because of all the problems cases that would stain the rep of the league. Taglibue would retire and in would step Roger Goodell. The New York native wanted to lay the law down. The NFL will have respect and will have its role models once again. Zero Tolerance on criminals and other punishable offenses. Goodell would consult then  NFLPA director Gene Upshaw and also created a six-man player advisory committee to discuss conduct, discipline and other topics. There were many players on the list to feel the teeth of the new policy the first beiing the Titans CB Adam "Pacman" Jones and Cincinnati Bengals WR Chris Henry both of whose careers were tainted by numerous arrests.The 3rd player suspended was Bear DT Tank Johnson. In August of 2007 the Falcons starting QB Michael Vick would plead guilty in his involvement in illegal dog fighting and euthanization, and was suspended "indefinitely" without pay. He also have delt with things such as the "vikings boat scandal" and "spygate"


Goodell has been very vocal on rookie salaries, the leagues charitable work, performance enhancing steroids, head and neck injuries suffered on the field and the NFLs effort towards the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. 


 "It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches, and staff. We hold ourselves to higher standards of responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as warranted." ~Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League