In the 2015-2016 NFL season, players were suspended for a total of 273 games (Spotrac). While many of these suspensions were deserved, there are many inconsistencies between the length of these suspensions. There are set guidelines for the length of a suspension for violating the prohibition of performance enhancing or recreational drugs. Although there are policies in place to keep drug use suspensions consistent, the influence the commissioner has on a suspension causes many of these suspensions to be unpredictable. Also, for personal conduct and other offenses there is no established length for a suspension. This creates a major problem because the discipline is not consistent for these infractions. If guidelines for off field suspensions
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This gives all the suspension power to the commissioner of the NFL and by doing this the suspensions are less consistent because there is no basis to decide the length of the suspension on. When former Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice, assaulted his girlfriend in an elevator it caused a huge problem for the NFL because the league had no way to determine the length of his suspension. Due to the lack of suspension policy, Rice was only suspended for two games. The public was outraged by the lack of discipline for the violent crime and, as a result, the NFL created a domestic violence policy. This policy stated that first time offenders receive a six game suspension and second time offenders receive a full season suspension (McCann). Although this is a good thing to have added to the league, it shows that the NFL partially decides the length of suspensions on public opinion. Also, the NFL did not follow this policy for the very next domestic abuse case. Minnesota Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson, spanked his son with a branch and he was suspended indefinably for the incident. Peterson was reinstated after being suspended for a full season. Peterson was given an extreme suspension because Roger Goodell felt the policy he established was not good enough. Personal conduct offenses fall under the Catchall category which includes everything from murder to improper use of social media. The Catchall category has no guidelines for suspensions because of the variety of offenses it covers. As a result of this all suspensions in this category are decided by the commissioner of the NFL. During the deflategate scandal Roger Goodell decided the penalties that the New England Patriots would face. Along with fines and the loss of draft picks, Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, was also suspended four games for the incident. Goodell used his power to suspend a
This gives all the suspension power to the commissioner of the NFL and by doing this the suspensions are less consistent because there is no basis to decide the length of the suspension on. When former Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice, assaulted his girlfriend in an elevator it caused a huge problem for the NFL because the league had no way to determine the length of his suspension. Due to the lack of suspension policy, Rice was only suspended for two games. The public was outraged by the lack of discipline for the violent crime and, as a result, the NFL created a domestic violence policy. This policy stated that first time offenders receive a six game suspension and second time offenders receive a full season suspension (McCann). Although this is a good thing to have added to the league, it shows that the NFL partially decides the length of suspensions on public opinion. Also, the NFL did not follow this policy for the very next domestic abuse case. Minnesota Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson, spanked his son with a branch and he was suspended indefinably for the incident. Peterson was reinstated after being suspended for a full season. Peterson was given an extreme suspension because Roger Goodell felt the policy he established was not good enough. Personal conduct offenses fall under the Catchall category which includes everything from murder to improper use of social media. The Catchall category has no guidelines for suspensions because of the variety of offenses it covers. As a result of this all suspensions in this category are decided by the commissioner of the NFL. During the deflategate scandal Roger Goodell decided the penalties that the New England Patriots would face. Along with fines and the loss of draft picks, Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, was also suspended four games for the incident. Goodell used his power to suspend a