I hold head coaches accountable.
— Roger Goodell
We're in a leadership position in sports. People look up to the National Football League.
I don't want players coming in from the college level that are either trying to avoid a suspension, declare themselves ineligible on their own, hire an agent and decide, 'I'm going to enter into the NFL.'
The way you continue to be a successful business is you don't wait for the car to go off the cliff. You have to manage yourself. And make sure you do it in the right way so you are not making decisions in crisis.
When you're thrust into litigation, you obviously have to make sure you're prepared to deal with that.
My goal was to prove to my family I wasn't a dummy.
I take my responsibilities very seriously.
Uncertainty's not good for anybody.
To me, what I love about the draft is; first, you see the young men who are realizing their dreams that they've worked so hard for. That's a pretty cool thing. You saw the emotion from some of these guys the other day. And then, the second thing is this total sense of hope and optimism. And, I think that's great for everybody.
I talk to players all the time.
The draft is one of my favorite events because it is about football. People are focused on how their teams improve. It's a celebration of football. And most importantly, it represents a very important time in the lives of these men who are entering the NFL, and their families.
My job is to protect the integrity of the NFL and to make sure the game is as safe as possible.
I've spent my life following my passion.
What is true of the NFL is that it has been well-managed over the years. And that has been beneficial to the fans, it's been beneficial to the game itself, it's been beneficial to the players, coaches and everyone involved.
We will always make sure player health and safety is our No. 1 priority in the NFL.
The one thing I would hope would go on my tombstone is, 'I made my parents proud.'
The NCAA has to establish their own rules and enforce their own rules.
I think when someone is injured in your family, you want to speak to the individual and you want to hear their voice and you want to make sure they are OK.
I don't get myself caught up in the rhetoric of any personal comments that are made.
I spent a lot of time in the school psychologist's office. I didn't apply myself. My mother thought I had learning disabilities.
I don't expect to try to get people to like everything I do. I want them to respect what I do.
It's always unfortunate when something gets misreported and the facts are not clear.
Every game in the NFL is important.
You know that I'm always a proponent of doing things differently.
No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will not be compromised.
I am awake a lot of nights.
I'm very fortunate, and I know that.
The owners don't win by having a lockout. Shutting down your business is not good for anybody and it's certainly not good for the players, it's certainly not good for the fans. And that's most important to us.
It is a privilege for me to serve the NFL. It is the only place I have ever wanted to work.
Too much of our society looks for people to fail.
I think the state of the NFL has a very positive outlook.
HGH testing is happening in Olympics. The science is there. It is a valid test.
I learned in high school that I was going to have to outwork people. I remember running around the track, training for football, and a faster guy ran past me. I just figured, I can outlast him. If I work harder than him, I'll beat him. And to this day I overprepare.
Change before you're forced to change.
I have to make a lot of decisions that aren't in the best interests of individuals, whether they be owners, club executives, players.
When you're talking about a trade you're saying, 'Is it good for this team or that team, did they give up too much?' That kind of debate is great for the game.
You do not have to be convicted or even charged of a crime to be able to demonstrate that you've violated a personal conduct policy, and reflect poorly not only on themselves, but all of their teammates, every NFL player in the league, and everyone associated with the NFL.
It's not just the NFL. Every other league has a draft. It has been fundamental to the success of professional sports.
The highest standards of conduct must be met by everyone in the NFL because it is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right.
It's an awesome responsibility, not only to maintain the level of success the NFL has, but to build on that.
There are lots of businesses that are well in excess of $9 billion that have gone into bankruptcy, that have been mismanaged. And that has not served anyone very well.
