Commissioner Goodell Transcript: 2012 NFL Draft PLAY 60 Youth Clinic

COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL
2012 NFL DRAFT PLAY 60 YOUTH CLINIC
CHELSEA WATERSIDE PARK, NEW YORK, N.Y.

 April 25, 2012

 On the status of the Saints bounty-rule matter:

 We are in the final stages of working on the discipline that will involve the players.  We hope to be doing that very soon and get that behind us.

 
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Commissioner Goodell Addresses Status of HGH Testing

During today’s press conference at the NFL Annual Meeting, Commissioner Goodell answered a question on the status of HGH testing.

On HGH testing and the hindrance caused by the NFLPA’s request to first acquire a population study consisting only of NFL players:

If the population study was the only thing in the way from us reaching an agreement, we would have an agreement.  Let me put it that way.  We are prepared to do that if that resolves the issue.  I sent an e-mail to (NFLPA Executive Director) De(Maurice Smith) before I left, and unfortunately, our meetings sort of crossed, but HGH was on that list and I expect by the end of the week I will be speaking to him about it again.

Commissioner Roger Goodell Transcripts 3-21-12

For transcripts of Commissioner Roger Goodell’s appearances on NFL Network and ESPN, click here

Note from Commissioner Roger Goodell to NFL Fans

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell today sent the following letter to NFL fans.

To NFL Fans:

Now that another remarkable NFL season has concluded, let me express my gratitude on behalf of all 32 NFL teams for your incredible support. Record numbers of you watched at home, made your way to the stadium, and connected with the NFL in numerous other ways during the 2011 season. Your love of football is what makes the NFL special.

We are proud of the quality of the game today. From the individuals and team skills on display in every game to the record-breaking achievements of future Hall of Famers, the 2011 season was extraordinary on many levels.

It finished up with some of the most exciting playoff games of recent years leading to a tense, drama-filled Super Bowl between the Giants and Patriots that was the most-watched show in the history of television. What a tribute to our players, coaches, and fans!

As good as it’s been, I believe the NFL’s best days are ahead. Our responsibility in leading the league is to protect and enhance the bond between our game and the passionate fans who sustain it. We know we have to earn your trust every day and prove we are worthy of your amazing support.

Our commitment to improve everything we do is ongoing. We are not done yet. From the game on the field to the fan experience at home — and everything in between — there are ways we can do even better. We owe it to you, the fans, to believe in better and strive for more. Our game has always evolved and that will continue. I encourage you to visit our new web site – NFL.com/evolution – to explore how the game has improved over the past century. There are more good changes to come.

Our mission is captured very simply in these four words:
Forever forward. Forever football. Thank you once again for your passion and commitment to the game we all love.

Roger Goodell

Commissioner Goodell: NFL success due to “magic of game and passion of fans”

In a wide-ranging interview this morning on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Commissioner Roger Goodell noted that exciting on-field play has resulted in viewership numbers that top all other programs on television by a wide margin.

“It is the magic of the game.  It is the passion and the diversity of our fan base.  They love football.  Our game is so unpredictable.” Commissioner Goodell said when asked about NFL viewership doubling the average primetime show and NFL games ranking as 18 of the 20 most-watched shows on TV this fall.

“Our league is so competitive now,” the Commissioner continued. “Of the eight divisions last year, we would have six new division champions if things hold as they are today.  The competitiveness is what the fans want, the unpredictable nature of our game. You saw it last night (in the Jets-Broncos game).”

Last night’s game was decided on a touchdown with 58 seconds left and continued the trend of fantastic finishes.  Two-thirds of this season’s games (98 of 147) have had the opponents within seven points in the fourth quarter.

Following is a transcript of the Commissioner’s CNBC appearance:
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Commissioner Goodell: League Meeting Media Briefing

Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed media members this evening to close the  most recent league meeting, which was hosted in Houston, Texas.  A full transcript of Commissioner Goodell’s briefing is included below:

NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL
LEAGUE MEETING MEDIA BRIEFING
HOUSTON, TEXAS

October 11, 2011

Opening remarks:

I think you’re aware of most of the things that we discussed today and voted on, including Super XLIX going to Arizona. We also voted on the extension and expansion of our international resolution and our ESPN deal was formally approved by the membership today. We also had a number of reports on a variety of topics, including collective bargaining and a number of business issues, including our gate initiatives. There is a continuing focus on our momentum coming out of the labor negotiations and how we continue to seize those opportunities and continue to grow the business.
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Statement by Roger Goodell on death of Al Davis

“Al Davis’s passion for football and his influence on the game were extraordinary.  He defined the Raiders and contributed to pro football at every level.  The respect he commanded was evident in the way that people listened carefully every time he spoke.  He is a true legend of the game whose impact and legacy will forever be part of the NFL.”

Decision to Suspend Terrelle Pryor for Five Games for Manipulation of NFL Eligibility Rules is Affirmed

Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Terrelle Pryor today that the decision to suspend the Oakland Raiders’ quarterback for the first five games of the regular season for improperly manipulating the NFL’s eligibility rules has been affirmed. Pryor may be activated by the Raiders following their game at Houston on October 9.

Commissioner Goodell approved Pryor’s application for entry into this year’s NFL Supplemental Draft, which took place on August 22.  He was selected in the third round of the supplemental draft by the Raiders, who forfeited their third-round selection in the 2012 Draft as a result. Pryor participated in the remainder of the Raiders’ training camp after his selection.

Following are excerpts from Commissioner Goodell’s decision on Pryor’s appeal:

• “Based on Mr. Pryor’s actions, I believe it is a fair conclusion that he intentionally took steps to ensure that he would be declared ineligible for further college play and would be able to enter the NFL via the Supplemental Draft. Taken as a whole, I found that this conduct was tantamount to a deliberate manipulation of our eligibility rules in a way that distorts the underlying principles and calls into question the integrity of those rules.”

• “Mr. Pryor – not Ohio State or the NCAA – made the judgment that he was ineligible for college play, and then took a series of affirmative steps that were intended to, and had the effect of, accomplishing that result. Moreover, Mr. Pryor did so in order to avoid the consequences of his conduct while in college – conduct to which he had admitted and for which he had accepted a suspension – and to hasten the day when he could pursue a potentially lucrative professional career in the NFL.”

• “This smacks of a calculated effort to manipulate our eligibility rules in a way that undermines the integrity of, and public confidence in, those rules.  Mr. Pryor made an affirmative decision to remain in college and play for Ohio State in 2011.  He later reconsidered and decided that he wanted to enter the NFL.  In order to do so, he needed to forfeit his remaining college eligibility and took steps to ensure that would happen.  Based on the specific facts presented here, I conclude that Mr. Pryor’s actions warranted imposition of conditions on his entry into the NFL, namely, that he serve the same five-game suspension that he had previously agreed to while at Ohio State.”

• “In my judgment, allowing players to secure their own ineligibility for college play in order to avoid previously determined disciplinary consequences for admitted conduct reflects poorly not on college football – which acted to discipline the transgressor – but on the NFL, by making it into a sanctuary where a player cannot only avoid the consequences of his conduct, but be paid for doing so.”

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NFL Encourages Fans to Join in Fight Against Breast Cancer

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell today emailed fans a letter encouraging them to support the NFL’s “A Crucial Catch” program against breast cancer. The letter is below.

To NFL Fans:

On behalf of the National Football League, please join us in supporting the NFL’s “A Crucial Catch” campaign in October for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is the third season in which NFL teams, coaches, officials and players will wear pink in recognition of the fight against breast cancer.

Just about everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer. That is why the NFL is proud to join thousands of others committed to fighting this terrible disease.

Throughout October, all NFL teams will celebrate survivors, visit patients at hospitals and turn their stadiums pink to show our enduring support. Alongside our partners at the American Cancer Society, we will emphasize the importance of prevention by encouraging all women over the age of 40 to get a yearly mammogram. We know that annual screenings can, and do, save lives.

Thanks to the passion of NFL fans, we have the collective strength as a league to connect with millions of people and make a positive difference. Please support the American Cancer Society’s programs to help people stay well, get well, and find a cure. We can fight back against a disease that has taken far too much from too many for too long.

There are several ways you can participate in “A Crucial Catch.” Visit nfl.com/pink for the resources and tools you can use to get involved.

An annual screening saves lives. Let’s spread the word

Commissioner Goodell: 10-year foundation to make game better is great for fans

Prior to the kickoff of Thursday night’s season opener in Green Bay, Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke with Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio and discussed several topics, including his email to fans earlier that day.

“We are glad we are back,” Commissioner Goodell said about the point of his message to the fans. “We are glad that we have a great and exciting season ahead of us and that the fans can enjoy football.  That is what they want to do.  You know that better than anybody.  We are thrilled about the prospects of this season.  We want the fans to know how important they are.  We know that it has been a difficult offseason, but that is behind us now and great football is ahead.  We have 10 years of a great foundation to make the game better, and that is great for fans.”

The commissioner added that the NFL and its clubs would continue innovating to improve the game-day experience in stadiums, at home or wherever fans are.

“Whether you are watching in the stadiums where we are trying to improve the environment or watching at home where technology is making that experience even better – we are working to bring that technology into the stadiums,” he said. “However you want to interface with football, we want to encourage that and we want to make it a better experience.  That is what we are going to continue to do.”

Following is the complete SiriusXM Radio transcript:
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