Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

The cost of praying in the NFL

By Erik Nelson

A recent matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots did more than just raise concern about the future of the Patriots’ football season. Although the final score on Sept. 30 read 41-14, a tiresome blow-out for Patriots fans, one play created national controversy.

Early in the fourth quarter, Husain Abdullah, safety for Kansas City, returned an interception for a touchdown and celebrated by sliding in the endzone and bowing in prayer. The controversy was sparked when Abdullah was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following his endzone celebration. This controversial call was worsened by the NFL when they released two conflicting statements about the clarification of the official call on the field.

The NFL first claimed that the officials got the call wrong; that Abdullah should not have been flagged. Three days later, the NFL claimed that the call was correct, that the penalty was enforced because of the slide, not because of the prayer. The NFL’s indecisiveness with this incident and with other recent issues – like Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and hit on quarterback Nick Foles – are giving the league’s authority figures a bad reputation.

Considering the numerous domestic violence issues in the last month, the last thing the NFL needs is another blemish on its record. Instead of doing the professional thing and making a public statement describing what happened during the play, and why it was actually the right call, the NFL has quickly put itself in a hole that is going to need drastic changes in order to get out of.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (left) next to football great John Madden. Goodell has come under fire in recent months, especially for his handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence incident.
(By Flickr user Andrew Dallos)

Since the Ray Rice debacle, I have been critical of the league’s decision making. Husain Abdullah’s incident could have been a very simple clarification that would have avoided any criticism. A public statement as straightforward as, “The penalty given to Husain Abdullah was given for his slide in the endzone, not for praying,” would have been suitable and would have made the NFL seem precise and effective in their decision making. Today there are conversations of religious discrimination on behalf of the NFL as well as other criticism towards the league for a situation that could have been prevented.

Regarding touchdown celebrations in general, the NFL has gotten stricter and more rule-heavy than need be. The reason fans watch NFL games on television is to be entertained. With this being said, what is the problem with a slide into the endzone? I think we can all agree that excessive celebrations are unnecessary and take away from the game, but a slide? If a player is not allowed to slide, why is the Lambeau Leap allowed? Is a slide on the field really more excessive than a leap into the first row of the seating? The NFL has been inconsistent with their rulings in the past, and recently the issue has gotten progressively worse.

The inconsistency with recent issues in the NFL has put a lot of pressure on authority figures, including commissioner Roger Goodell. Time and time again, Goodell has proven that he cannot manage the NFL effectively or ethically. There has been a general consensus among the media and the fans of the NFL to fire Goodell, and bring in a more effective and decisive commissioner of the league. As ESPN analyst Adam Scheffer noted, the only thing preventing Goodell from being fired is the support of the team owners, whom the majority agree that Goodell is a good businessman for the league.

As a business major, I clearly understand why having a business-attitude in Goodell’s position would help promote and expand the league. However, when unethical decisions are made and heavy criticism is raised about the operations of the NFL, that is where I draw the line. The NFL needs a better balance of businessman and ethical promoter in the commissioner spot, which we will not see as long as Goodell is in charge.

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The cost of praying in the NFL