NFL Considers Stricter Player Discipline Rules

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently proposed a new rule to crack down on players after a football season that saw many games with multiple personal fouls called against players. Goodell spoke to the Competition Committee about a new rule that would automatically eject a player from a game if he gets two personal fouls in the same game.

Goodell said the proposed rule would serve two purposes. It would protect players’ safety on the field. The change would also restore a sense of sportsmanship that Goodell believes was lacking among some players in some instances this past season—this has become an increasing problem in recent years. He believes the new rule would be consistent with standards set by the NFL.

One particularly egregious case involved Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants. He was suspended for one game after a December 2015 game against the Carolina Panthers in which he received three personal fouls. He had repeated confrontations with Panthers cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan and Josh Norman, who also had fouls called against them. In one instance, Beckham hit Norman in the head with his helmet while running toward him following a play in which neither of them was involved. Beckham said members of the Panthers had taunted him prior to the game. Referees and former Giants coach Tom Coughlin were criticized by other players and commentators for not pulling Beckham out of the game.

Goodell wants to take the decision on whether or not to eject a player out of the hands of game officials. He believes that by making ejection mandatory after two personal fouls, the new rule would remove a gray area that currently exists and make enforcement more consistent. A final decision on the rule has not yet been announced.

The NFL and the NFL Players Association have also held preliminary talks on the issue of Goodell’s personal role in disciplining players. The discussion is focusing on Goodell’s role in the appellate process. The league wants the commissioner to continue to play an important role in player discipline, as has been the tradition in the past. The union accepts that idea. There have been talks about establishing a three-person appellate panel, but the discussions are still in the preliminary stages.

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