When the Patriots hang their fifth banner on September 7, the Commissioner will be making his first appearance in Boston since #DeflateGate.
Speaking at a Jets fan forum on Monday, Roger Goodell reiterated that he’ll attend the Chiefs-Patriots game. Via Brian Costello of the New York Post, Goodell added that he’s not concerned about fan reaction.
They’ll react if they see him, and it’s safe to assume that Goodell will find a way to keep the lowest possible profile. It’s also unlikely that the Patriots video board operator will be displaying gigantic images of Goodell squirreled away in a private suite, no matter how badly the fans may want him to.
Of course, even if they don’t see him, he’ll likely see, and hear, them. From thousands of the notorious Matt Patricia T-shirt to chants of “Where is Roger?” is he’s indeed not visible within the venue, Patriots fans who crave the chance to let him have it in person will let him have it whether they personally can see him or not.
At some point, however, it will be time to move on. Goodell was forced to experience the ultimate in awkward after Super Bowl LI, and he may have to do it again in February 2018. While it will be hard to get New Englanders to let bygones be bygones, at some point it’s time to get past it.
Says the Italian who holds a grudge long enough to forget what the grudge was originally about. And beyond.