NFL commissioner Roger Goodell held his usual Super Bowl-week press conference Friday, and while a lot of the topics covered either focused on league-wide issues or the New England Patriots’ deflated balls controversy he did address a couple of questions regarding two of Seattle’s highest-profile players.
Marshawn Lynch made a lot of headlines this week for showing up to his press conference, only to not answer questions from reports with anything of substance—though his lecture to the media Thursday had plenty of substance.
Goodell made it clear he wants Lynch and all NFL players to abide by the league’s media policy, saying, “I’ve been very clear that when you’re in the NFL, you have an obligation to the fans. It is part of your job. There are things that we all have to do in our jobs that we may not necessarily want to do. I think Marshawn understands the importance of the Super Bowl, the importance of his appearance and the importance of him as an individual in this game. Fans are curious. Fans want to know. The media would like to make that story clear to our fans. I understand it may not be at the top of his list, but everyone else is cooperating. Everyone else is doing their part because it is our obligation. As I say, there are a lot of things we don’t like to do in our job but it comes with the territory. It comes with the privilege of playing in the Super Bowl.
Goodell was asked if Lynch might be fined either for his non-answers or for wearing an unlicensed “Beast Mode” hat, and said, “I do not believe any decision has been made on that. Our staff will probably look at that following the Super Bowl and make a determination, as they have in the past.”
Speaking of talking to the media, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman made the point earlier in the week that executives such as Goodell should have to be regularly available to the media if players are required to, to which Goodell said, “I understand the obligation and my job to meet with the media. I don’t know whether I meet with them at a press conference every week, but I’m available to the media almost every day of my job, professionally. We try to make ourselves available on a very regular basis. It is my responsibility, it is my job, and I will do that.”
That’s an interesting answer, because while I personally have never put in a request to the league office for Goodell, I do know plenty of reporters who have, only to be denied an interview. And if Goodell is “available every day,” why is this the first time he has talked to the media since the “Deflategate” scandal broke nearly two weeks ago. Certainly plenty of people were looking for reaction from him before Friday.
Another Sherman-related question posed to Goodell was one about his relationship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Sherman noted earlier in the week that he didn’t expect the league to come down on New England even if there was wrongdoing because Goodell and Kraft are so close.
Asked if he would “avoid having your picture taken at owners’ houses before any future conference championship games?” Goodell said, “No, I won’t. I was at the Kraft residence along with season-ticket holders, sponsors and media partners the night before as part of an AFC Championship party. That’s part of what we do. I was there participating in a program with our partner CBS, taking questions from the audience. It’s something that I do on a regular basis, so that’s not unusual. It’s also not unusual that I work very closely with ownership, particularly someone like Robert Kraft, who serves on multiple committees. The broadcast committee, we spend an awful lot of time on that. He’s on the finance committee. He works on several important league initiatives. So professionally, I have a relationship with him, and I also admire, respect and think very highly of him on a personal level. So there is no hiding from that standpoint. But since he knows me so well, he knows that I am not going to do anything to compromise the integrity of the league. I think he has no doubt that I will do the right thing for the NFL.”
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