Free Republic

The debate over NFL player protests during the national anthem has become so big within the league that it has delayed the completion of commissioner Roger Goodell's contract extension, league sources told ESPN. Goodell's deal is still expected to be completed and has been papered, sources told ESPN, but the process has been slowed while the overwhelming majority of the NFL's attention has been diverted to handling the anthem issue, which has affected TV ratings, merchandise sales and the country's feelings about football. Had the issue not existed, Goodell's contract might have been completed at last week's owners meeting in...

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fired back at President Trump on Saturday for encouraging league owners to remove players who take a knee during the national anthem, saying Trump’s “divisive comments” show “an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL.” “The NFL and our players are at our best when we help create a sense of unity in our country and our culture,” Goodell said in a statement. “There is no better example than the amazing response from our clubs and players to the terrible natural disasters we've experienced over the last month.” “Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack...

Support is growing for former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to take over as NFL commissioner following criticism of how the league handled the punishment of former Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice. The Ravens swiftly canceled Rice’s five-year contract and the NFL suspended him indefinitely on Tuesday, one day after video surfaced on TMZ.com showing the running back striking his now-wife in an Atlantic City, N.J., elevator. Before the video was made public, Rice had been suspended by the league for two games. The current NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, later called the original punishment a mistake, writing in a letter...

NEW YORK (AP) - This time it looks like the NFL commissioner will be all business. The five finalists to succeed Paul Tagliabue were announced Sunday with, no surprise, early favorite Roger Goodell still on the list. Unlike last time, when the late Jim Finks, then the Saints' general manager, was deadlocked with Tagliabue for three months, none of them has a background that includes playing or coaching in the NFL or running a team. The closest is the 47-year-old Goodell, who remains a clear favorite - as he has been for the last five years or so, or since...