NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent an email to NFL fans today to brief them on changes to the league’s personal conduct policy.
“You give so much to our game and its success,” Goodell said in the email to fans. “In return, as you should, you hold us to high standards, both on and off the field. We have listened and we have heard you. We hold ourselves to these high standards as well.
“The majority of people in the NFL are individuals of high character who make incredible contributions to the game and their communities. However, a small percentage conduct themselves improperly at times. We recognize these actions damage the entire league. We now are taking significant steps to strengthen our programs to prevent and address incidents of misconduct.”
Goodell said the NFL recognizes that the fans of the 32 teams expect the NFL to do better than it did at the start of this season, when Goodell’s handling of the Ray Rice case had the league in disarray.
“Our communities are the heart of our teams and we put everything into making a positive impact on them,” Goodell wrote. “While we are stewards of the game of football, we know that virtue isn’t earned on the field alone. Character and values sits above everything else because we represent something that means so much to so many people.”