NFL ownership is gathered in Nashville for a couple of days to discuss various league business and award the 2026 draft to Pittsburgh, but when commissioner Roger Goodell addressed reporters on Wednesday, an issue not on the agenda was prominently raised.
The controversy surrounding Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement address at Benedictine College 10 days or so ago came up during Goodell’s press conference.
And what Goodell told reporters will, frankly, leave everyone feeling empty. Like a wolf devouring a bag of air.
“We have over 3,000 players,” Goodell said, addressing the Butker issue. “We have executives around the league. They have a diversity of opinions and thoughts, just like America does.
“That’s something we treasure.”
Roger Goodell Statement Vanilla
Goodell added the NFL is “not going to go much beyond the statement” previously released by NFL diversity, equity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane.
So a couple of notes:
Firstly, Goodell is telling us the NFL umbrella covers a lot of employees.
Breaking!
Secondly, the commissioner is facing the issue by telling everyone the NFL is like America. All those people that make up the league, he believes, have divergent beliefs on many things beyond the game.
Got it?
It is a quote that speaks truth but says relatively little of substance.
Roger Goodell Released Unharmed
And, again, the people on polar opposite sides of the issues Butker raised in his speech are going to feel like nothing just happened. Like Goodell didn’t take a stand either way.
But what they’re missing is that probably was Goodell’s intention. He’s a smart man. He has critics everywhere and doesn’t always get it right. But he understands that whatever he says that leans in either direction on this will displease a lot of people in the other direction.
So better to acknowledge the issue. To speak on it in generalities. And be released unharmed.
It’s actually quite smart.
But, of course, Goodell may thus open himself up to criticism from both sides.
The GLADD-fire Butker-petition driving-he’s a misogynist crowd and the Butker represents our religious beliefs-said nothing wrong-let’s buy a Butker jersey folks are both going to feel like Goodell copped out.
And they have a point.
But they all also have an agenda. That is they want allies to rally to their side.
Goodell also has an agenda. He wants all of them to rally to the NFL.
Beane Should Follow Goodell Example
And alienating one side or the other ain’t going to make that happen. Goodell served the NFL with his vanilla statement.
Underling NFL executive Jonathan Beane could learn from his boss. Because Beane’s statement released to People chose a side, saying in part, “[Butker’s] views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”
That made the Butker critics happy. And it reinforced the idea of some Butker supporters that the NFL hates traditional values.
Even as Goodell noted, many people within the NFL share those values.
