NFL: Corruption Is At The Core Of The Domestic Violence Epidemic

Photo Credit: gq.com

Domestic violence has been somewhat of a normality in the NFL as of late; it can even be considered an epidemic due to the amount of players are being charged in the last year. Players like Adrian Peterson, Greg Hardy, and Ray Rice have been under scrutiny by the NFL and have been receiving suspensions (or placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List). Another arrest was made in the last week, as Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been arrested and deactivated from the team.

But the scapegoat that Roger Goodell is making an example out of is Rice, the former Baltimore Ravens running back. Rice was at first suspended for the first two games of the season back in July for punching and knocking out his fiancee and soon-to-be wife, Janay Palmer (which occurred in February). But then the video was leaked – although it was said the video was sent to NFL officials back in April. The outcome of the leak led to Rice being indefinitely suspended; the public pushed for a longer suspension – comparing his two game suspension to Josh Gordon’s then full-year suspension – and Goodell fell into the ‘trap’ and Rice was suspended even longer and was released by the Ravens. One of the big examples the public used was Josh Gordon, who before the season, was suspended the whole season for failing his drug test (he would have passed in MLB or the NBA, but that’s a different story). Many arguments came out asking why Gordon – who although it was not his first time failing his drug test – was being handed a full-year suspension for doing drugs while Rice was given a two-game suspension for ‘beating’ his wife. Goodell gave the public what they wanted. Gordon will return for the last six games of the season while Rice, Peterson, and others may miss the year, possibly more.

This does not mean Rice’s actions should be ‘looked past’ or not taken seriously. He did something that is against the law and should be prosecuted for his actions. However, his suspension is too severe and was only this severe because of the leaked video. The public saw something – wanted a longer suspension – and manipulated Goodell into giving them just that. Take Donald Sterling for example. Sterling made inappropriate and racist comments towards the African American race. It was already known he has racial tendencies, but was never banned for life or forced into selling the Los Angeles Clippers. But once the audio of his racist comments was leaked, he went from this rich owner to a rich ‘scumbag’ who – if he still owned the Clippers today – would have caused protest by the players and possibly someone like Doc Rivers stepping down from the coaching staff.

Back on the Ray Rice topic; a lot of players – and when I say a lot, I mean a lot – have been arrested because of domestic violence. Let’s take a deeper look at the players who have been arrested and what the outcome and details of the accusation are.

Just recently, Dwyer was arrested on Wednesday, September 17, stemming from an altercation back in late July. This was reportedly between a 27-year-old woman and an 18-month-old child, occurring two times that day. He also stopped the woman from calling 911. Dwyer has been deactivated by the Cardinals while the investigation is going on and it seems as though they have enough evidence – the reason for the arrest. Dwyer could miss one game and be back with the team, but it remains uncertain when he will return to the NFL.

Another player who was involved in a domestic violence allegation is Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson was indict for negligent injury to his child. The four-year old boy told the doctor that Peterson hit him with a tree branch. Peterson was deactivated for week two’s game and was set to return for week three until the public – along with the Minnesota governor – demanded/suggested a suspension be handed to Peterson. The Vikings, pressured, placed Peterson on the Commissioner’s Exempt List; Goodell will decide whether a suspension will be issued.

Then we have Greg Hardy. Hardy was convicted on a July 15 assault after reportedly assaulting and threatening his former girlfriend. Like Peterson, Hardy was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. Surprisingly enough, Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettlemen expects Hardy to be out at least through November; a near season-long suspension, yet Rice was handed an indefinite suspension with many analysts saying they would not be surprised if Rice never plays for the NFL again. Still don’t think Rice’s suspension is too severe? Meet Dez Bryant and Brandon Marshall…

Back in July of 2012, Bryant was arrested on a misdemeanor violence case. Bryant got into a heated argument with his step brother which ended with him assaulting his mom. Angela Bryant said that Dez grabbed her t-shirt ripping it and the bra, followed by him slapping her in the face with his hat and then threw a ball at her. She reportedly said her son was trying to kill him. What did the NFL do? They enacted a strict guidance program for Bryant to follow, but he was never suspended.

Brandon Marshall, another pro player who has committed domestic abuse, starting his problems back in 2006. After a very long fight, his ex-girlfriend, Rasheedah Watley, filed for a police report, saying Marshall physically abused her. In 2007, Marshall and his father got in a big fight; Marshall claimed his father tried to run him over with his car while the father told police Marshall had shot a gun. Both declined to press charges. Within three days, Marshall and Watley got into two big arguments which police were both present at. Marshall was arrested, but the charges were later dropped. But, Watley and Marshall were not over yet. Over the next two years, they got into more fights and although no charges were filed, Watley said Marshall abused her on several occasions. In 2008, the NFL suspended Marshall for three games, but after a successful appeal, the suspension was decreased to just one game; this suspension was due to off-the-field problems (DUI and domestic violence). So for a number of domestic violence calls, Marshall was just given a one game suspension (three without the appeal), while Peterson, Hardy, and Rice all were suspended or deactivated for multiple weeks.

The NFL has been trying to make changes to change how they are viewed. In the last year, the four players listed – Bryant and Marshall occurred over a year ago – as well as many others have faced domestic violence charges. All of them are being disciplined. Rice should’ve had a two game suspension and Peterson was likely to return after a week, but the NFL was manipulated by the public. Pushing for a longer suspension, Goodell was in a tight spot; what he did with Rice was wrong.

How can Marshall and Bryant miss a total of one game, yet Dwyer, Peterson, Rice, and Hardy have missed eight games after this upcoming Sunday. Marshall has faced multiple domestic violence cases – even if the charges were dropped – missing just one game compared to the others shows how the league is becoming corrupt. Bryant reportedly ‘tried to kill’ his mom / attacked her, yet he was NOT suspended.

They are punishing him for a second time on a crime that he committed just once. It was not like he ‘attacked’ his wife – she gave him a little ‘push/punch’ twice which led to him punching her and knocking him out. The Vikings were also manipulated by the media and public; Peterson was activated and starting practicing, before angry people spoke out and led to him being put on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

It is wrong to think that the media and public have such a dramatic say in these off-the-field problems. What these players did was wrong, yes, but after a suspension/decision was handed to a player, it is wrong to give him another suspension. In crime, it is called double jeopardy: one person cannot be charged with the same crime more than once.

The NFL is in a spiral downwards if they are letting the media and public affect their decisions, nothing is going to change.