NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke of many things in his press conference wrapping up the league meetings in Phoenix.
They were all taken seriously. Efforts are being made to do many of them right. And nothing is settled.
Goodell offered no resolution for the many issues on his plate at the moment, with no announcements on #DeflateGate, the proliferation of illegal legal tampering, the Cleveland texting violations or any possible suspension for Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy.
He said Ted Wells’ investigation into the charge the Patriots manipulated the air pressure of balls against the Colts in the AFC Championship Game was ongoing, and wouldn’t put a timetable on it.
He wouldn’t address the Browns issue, saying he hadn’t been caught up to speed but said: “I’m sure there’ll be a focus on it in the next couple days.”
He said they were investigating “several teams and several issues” regarding the premature cutting of deals in free agency, which was rampant this year.
On the potential move of a team to Los Angeles, he said he expected to hear from each of the three teams involved before the next meeting in May, and that they’d continue to move at “a very disciplined pace.”
Asked about a possible suspension for Hardy, who was signed by the Cowboys before they could know how many games he’d be eligible for, there was equal clarity.
“Any club is free to sign Greg Hardy, they understood that we were reviewing his case for potential discipline,” Goodell said, adding that they were “trying to get as many facts as we can” and that “I expect that will conclude some time in the near future.”
Of his recent meeting with Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, Goodell said “this is a young man who understands his responsibility.”
So there you have it. Things are being taken seriously. They want to handle them the right way. Tune in the next few Fridays around 5 p.m. for something to actually be done about them.