League new conduct policy

League's new conduct policy

DISCIPLINE



The standard of socially responsible conduct for NFL employees will be higher. Club and league employees will be held to a higher standard than players. Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL will be subject to discipline, even if not criminal in nature.
Discipline for individuals that violate the policy will include larger fines and longer suspensions.
Repeat violations of the personal conduct policy will be dealt with aggressively, including discipline for repeat offenders even when the conduct itself has not yet resulted in a conviction of a crime.
Individuals suspended under the policy must earn their way back to active status by fully complying with professional counseling and treatment that will include evaluation on a regular basis.
Clubs will be subject to discipline in cases involving violations of the Personal Conduct Policy by club employees. In determining potential club discipline going forward, the commissioner will consider all relevant factors, including the history of conduct-related violations by that club's employees and the extent to which the club's support programs are consistent with best practices as identified and shared with the clubs. Recommended best practices include having a full-time club player development director and a full-time club security director.I hope Sean Taylor can keep his cool off the football field. He seems to be, in my mind, the most likely to violate this new policy given his track record (unless we have an East Coast Loveboat incident [SMOOT]). I think ST is maturing though, so maybe no worries.

ST has cleaned up his act since his new baby arrived. He didn't get into ANY trouble last year and I don't think he will going forward.

I would hope that all but the dumbest of players got the message. None of them want to lose a whole season of pay and the loss of value the rest their career. Its funny but from what most of the players are saying they seem to embrace the new policy.

They should! As we have heard many times, it is a privilege to play in the NFL!

gotta do somethin

I am somewhat dubious of the section about sanctions for clubs.

Is this over-arching or will discretion be used? For example I have no problem with the league bringing down the hammer on a team who drafts or signs a questionable character guy but what happens when an apparently upstanding guy has a problem. If a classy guy like James Thrash or London Fletcher goes out and gets in a bar fight tomorrow night would the Skins be culpable because they are SKins? That makes no sense really. In fact unless discretion is used the whole idea is almost useless because it offers less reward for teams bringing in character guys versus no charcters guys. If a team is going to get fined or whatever whether they should have known or not then they have less motivation to bring in only high charcter guys. It doesn't totally eliminate the motivation but is reduces it.

I am somewhat dubious of the section about sanctions for clubs.

Is this over-arching or will discretion be used? For example I have no problem with the league bringing down the hammer on a team who drafts or signs a questionable character guy but what happens when an apparently upstanding guy has a problem. If a classy guy like James Thrash or London Fletcher goes out and gets in a bar fight tomorrow night would the Skins be culpable because they are SKins? That makes no sense really. In fact unless discretion is used the whole idea is almost useless because it offers less reward for teams bringing in character guys versus no charcters guys. If a team is going to get fined or whatever whether they should have known or not then they have less motivation to bring in only high charcter guys. It doesn't totally eliminate the motivation but is reduces it.


"the commissioner will consider all relevant factors, including the history of conduct-related violations by that club's employees and the extent to which the club's support programs are consistent with best practices as identified and shared with the clubs. Recommended best practices include having a full-time club player development director and a full-time club security director."

I think as long as the club covers all bases with support programs and such, the commissioner will consider that before bringing down the hammer. Individuals are going to do what they do, but if the club can show that they have done their part, I don't see that club being punished.

This is good news for players that don't know what it means to play in the Nfl. However, I wouldn't apply suspensions to players that get provoked ina club or in a bar.