On Tuesday morning, a day after TMZ had released the surveillance footage showing Ray Rice punching his fiancee in the face, and hours before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke publicly about what he knew about Rice's domestic violence case, Patriots owner Robert Kraft told CBS Morning News that Goodell's handling of the situation "was excellent."
In the days since, as reports emerge refuting one NFL claim after another, we've learned that "incompetent" might be a better descriptor.
But Goodell works for the owners, and in that capacity he has been brilliant. He negotiated the last collective bargaining agreement, which everyone considers a victory for the owners, and he's made the NFL an unimaginably profitable multibillion-dollar enterprise. And that reality explains why he remains in good stead with the owners despite the dark cloud of a bungled domestic-violence investigation hanging over the league office.
The latest owner to come to Goodell's defense: Jerry Jones.
"He's been a very good commissioner," Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan. "He's acknowledged that he's mishandled this, and he's said that he'll do better in the future. He can and I believe he will."
Goodell has come under fire for saying that neither he nor anyone in his office saw the video of Rice slugging his fiancee. According to the Associated Press, a law enforcement official said a copy of the video was sent to league headquarters in April, more than three months before Goodell levied a two-game suspension against Rice.
"(Goodell) said he did not (know of the video) and I believe him," Jones said. "But the good news (is) we've opened up a real investigation, unfettered investigation, and I think we need to let that show us the results and let it unfold."
The "real investigation" to which Jones speaks will be lead by former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who now works for the same law firm that helped the league negotiate it's new multibillion-dollar deal with DirecTV. The investigation will also be overseen by two of Goodell's closest supporters: Giants co-owner John Mara and Steelers president Art Rooney II.
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Saints WR Kenny Stills looking like game-time decision for Week 2
According to Saints reporter Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate, wide receiver Kenny Stills (quad) plans to travel to Cleveland with the team. His status for the game against the Browns remains uncertain, but he is listed as probable on the Saints' injury report.Stills did not play in Week 1 and has been limited in practice all week.
At this point, Stills is losing what little fantasy value he has. With the presence of stud tight end Jimmy Graham, consistently producing wide receiver Marques Colston, emerging rookie wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and last year's leader in running back receptions, Pierre Thomas, Stills is looking like the fifth option in the Saints' passing attack.The fantasy world has high hopes for Stills this season after he caught five touchdowns and tallied more than 600 yards as a rookie in 2013. Ultimately, the best thing for Stills is to get on the field and make some plays. "Out of sight, out of mind" is accurate, even in fantasy. This is especially true if other guys on your team are putting up numbers, as the Saints weapons are. Once he's fully healthy for a couple weeks, Stills is seeing fewer snaps and targets than Cooks, it would probably be safe to drop him at that point.
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