Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley’s court date for marijuana possession charges has been delayed until November, but he’s still got a big meeting in the near future.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is at Lions camp on Thursday and said that he plans to speak with Fairley and running back Mikel Leshoure about their arrests this offseason. Both men were arrested twice and Leshoure has already been suspended for two games by the league as a result of his malfeasance. Fairley could be suspended before his marijuana case comes before the court and he also has an August 14th court date scheduled on DUI charges.
While speaking to reporters at Lions camp, Goodell talked about the busy offseason of arrests in Detroit. He said that all players, coaches and teams have “an obligation” to hold up a higher standard than the arrests provide and that the steady stream of news about arrests detracts from the good things about the league.
“I think anytime you have these issues, it detracts from the people who are doing so many great things,” Goodell said, via Anwar Richardson of MLive.com. “There’s so many great players on this team and throughout the league, and when these incidents occur, they reflect poorly on all of us. I think that’s the reason, I believe, the Lions want to make sure their standards are upheld, and we as a league feel that way, and the players feel that way.”