NFL: Six-Game Suspension for Any Domestic Violence Charge
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Christian Petersen/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Any player that commits a domestic violence crime will be handed a six-game suspension for a first offense and a lifetime ban for a second offense, the NFL announced on Thursday.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted that he did not get the suspension to Ravens running back Ray Rice correct, which led to the news.
“At times, however, and despite our best efforts, we fall short of our goals,” Goodell wrote in a letter. “We clearly did so in response to a recent incident of domestic violence….My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values.”
Rice was suspended for the first two games of the regular season after being arrested on a charge of aggravated assault after allegedly knocking out his fiancee in an elevator in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Goodell and the NFL received much criticism for not coming down harder on a domestic violence case.
“Our personal conduct policy has long made clear that domestic violence and sexual assault are unacceptable. We clearly must do a better job of addressing these incidents in the NFL. And we will,” Goodell continued.
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