Press

Ahead of State of the NFL Speech Today, Women’s Group Says #GoodellMustGo

“Roger Goodell’s tenure has been defined by the gross mishandling of sexual and domestic violence, as well as poor leadership in the face of a national conversation on race and police violence.

“In 2014 after Ray Rice viciously assaulted his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, Goodell purposely delayed taking any action to investigate—perpetuating society’s acceptance of violence against

women in front of a nationwide audience when he suspended Rice for a mere two games.

“Failing to do any better despite the NFL’s tainted reputation, Goodell also waited to take action until video evidence surfaced of violent incidents by Reuben Foster, formerly with San Francisco, and Kareem Hunt, formerly with Kansas City.

“Goodell’s lack of leadership and clear ignorance around a pivotal conversation on deadly police violence against Black people led him to institute a racist policy to silence Black players from protesting for Black lives. He and white team owners nearly saw to it that Black players were fined for taking action against Black deaths at the hands of police.  Goodell has maintained a racially discriminative league, in which 70 percent of NFL players are Black, while 94 percent of NFL franchise owners, 75 percent of head coaches, and most of the league’s top executives, including Goodell, are white. The NFL needs leadership that understands its players’ real grievances over racism, not leadership that will rob them of their right to protest.

“The NFL  needs leadership that will use the it’s unmatched influence on our culture to set an example by holding perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable and combating racism. Under Roger Goodell, the State of the NFL is poor, and that’s why, Goodell Must Go.”