I don’t think that’s protected. He didn’t play. And he still might not. I think the league decided their fingers got burned in the Ray Rice thing. With the suspension considered too short, then they made it indefinite, then that went to court and they lost, and in the end nobody picked him up so who cares. So what they learned there is to not under punish, but also don’t over punish, but also let things play out. And I think that’s where they are.
He was treated differently than all the other cases, including after Ray Rice.
The NFL got a back eye, because they engaged in a deliberate coverup. They didn't get nearly as black an eye as they deserved.
Ray Rice was suspended two games because he was on one of Goodell's "status teams." If Ray Rice had been on the 49ers or Cowboys he would have been suspended for a year. But since he was on the Ravens, Patriots, or Steelers, he only got two games.