Michael Vick, Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, Adam Jones, Plaxico Burress, Ray McDonald… the list goes on and on. The last 10 seasons of the National Football League have been the worst in history for managing public relations. The public outreach for punishment of inflictors and offenders has erupted and the justice system of America’s cherished sports league has been frustrating and highly questionable.
So why are these players serving minuscule suspensions for crimes that would spark life altering consequences outside of NFL entertainment?
Ray Rice
We all know the story by now and we all can share our displeasure for the lack of punishment handed down by the NFL. A man should never… I repeat, NEVER… strike, grab, or inflict pain on a female. Although Janay Palmer initially swung for Rice’s head to administer the altercation in the Revel Casino elevator, Rice decided to take the next step and force his 212-pound momentum and struck Palmer with a left jab like he was taking on Floyd Mayweather.
Once his immature adrenaline dissipated and the elevator camera had recorded the entire scene, all parties were subject for a whirlwind of events that would tarnish their images forever. A 212-pound running back pummeling a woman half his size to oblivion makes anyone with a speck of decency uncomfortable and upset. Not the NFL!
You would think that a multi-billion dollar business like the NFL would react professionally, sincerely, and justifiably toward the event that had just ensued. After months of “investigating” and “due diligence,” the NFL decided to punish Rice to a minuscule two-game suspension. This “slap on the wrist” justice was the climactic enforcer for a public relations tsunami over the foreseeing future.
Greg Hardy
Do you remember that one childhood friend that got away with everything and was never caught when performing “hood rat” activities? If there was an NFL player that fit this mold, it would be Dallas Cowboy DE Greg Hardy. Since his April 2014 domestic violence case with his girlfriend Nicole Holder, he has joined Rice at the top of the domestic violence totem pole.
After playing Week 1 of the 2014 NFL season, Hardy was deactivated Week 2 against the Detroit Lions. On September 17, 2014, Hardy was placed on the exempt list, prohibiting him from any NFL involvement. He continued to draw a salary of $13.1 million that season in spite of being ineligible to play in NFL games or practice with the Panthers. Hardy’s appeal was resolved when the Mecklenburg District Attorney’s Office dismissed the charges against Hardy on February 9, 2015, saying, “The victim did not appear in court to testify. The victim appears to have intentionally made herself unavailable to the State.”
This past Friday, Hardy’s suspension was reduced to four games from its original 10 games, set out April 22nd. He continues to push the bar in his favor and the NFL allows it to happen. Accountability is definitely not a word in the NFL Player Personnel dictionary, and it seems that the NFL believes Hardy’s football attributes are more important than his character and mental health.
I could go on to discuss the plethora of domestic violence issues the NFL has neglected, but I’m sure we all get the point. Just when you think the NFL has improved and goes through a period of time without any player inflicted incidents, another headline emerges that rubs alcohol on the open wound.
Why are these players only offered suspensions and fines? In a business where viewership, athleticism, and popularity translate to brand success, domestic violence gets a free pass each and every time.
How many second chances can NFL players receive for repeated offenses of domestic violence? If a prototypical, non-NFL American male decided to engage in violent behavior with the outside world, he would immediately lose his job and his integrity. The NFL has disregarded any ethical reasoning for their player’s actions in order to focus on how much revenue they can generate with these felons on the field. I feel as though I’m watching The Longest Yard every Sunday with at least one player from each offense and defense that upholds a domestic violence track record.
When is enough, enough? The NFL is telling its youngest consumers that domestic violence can take a back seat in the car of significance when pursuing the football dream of playing in “the greatest league in the world.” The NFL wonders why their PR brand has been obliterated in the last five years. It starts with the removal of any players with domestic violence controversies and trying to rebuild the true character that past NFL players displayed on and off the field.
