Pro Football: Dropping the Ball on Responsibility?
Should an employer try to control employees’ after-hours lives to make them act more responsibly?
The image-conscious National Football League is cracking down on players’ off-field behavior with a new “personal conduct” policy, which, according to The Wall Street Journal, has NFL teams hiring former FBI agents and police officers to spy on players.
Video surveillance cameras in locker rooms. Guards posted in hotel hallways to ensure players don’t sneak out. Bed checks.
The current efforts to manage the morals of pro-football stars include the Seattle Seahawks declaring an entire downtown entertainment district off-limits to team members, and the Denver Broncos’ security chief wrangling a network of dozens of bartenders and bouncers who call him when players show up, divulging details of the women they’re with and how much they’ve had to drink.
With at least 57 NFL players arrested this year alone, the NFL is determined to protect its image by fining and suspending players not just for committing crimes, but for any act that’s deemed harmful to the NFL’s “integrity and reputation.”
Critics of the crackdown say fines and suspensions are excessive and unfair, particularly in cases where a player has been accused of but not found guilty of a violation of law.
Dallas Cowboy cornerback Pacman Jones was suspended indefinitely by the NFL after an alleged tussle with a bodyguard, even though no arrest or charge was made. He missed six games before recently being allowed back on the playing field. And when someone intentionally spilled a drink on Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Langston Walker at a bar recently, he worried how the NFL would have reacted if the situation had escalated. “When you start not to trust your own organization or governing body,” he said, “who can you trust?”
Tell us what you think: Can personal responsibility be forced or enforced in pro football? Are NFL players being held to an unfair standard of off-field responsibility?
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DEVONTE LOVE
79ST EJ
DEVONTE LOVE | 1 month, 2 weeks ago
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comments
Please Arsenal football management try and get another arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger is doing noting 6 year without trophy, but you leave him is very bad.
SULIEMAN DAHIRU | 1 month, 2 weeks ago
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gatr
i just satrted
dudeius | 1 month ago
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Manager
Know, I don’t think it is unfair. The players represent the NFl the day they were drafted and signed their contracts. Maybe all NFL players should have to serve one or two years in the military before stepping on the field; giving them a chance to mature and get a understanding of what the NFL is trying to do.
As a former Army Company Commander, I remember receiving calls at 2 or 3 in the morning from my commanding asking why was my soldier picked up by the MP’s for disorderly conduct or drunken behavior or caught in an off limits downtown establishment.
The guys get paid a lot of money to play the game they and we love and not only represent thier team; but also the NFL.
Renaud West | 1 month ago
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responsibility
Personal responsibility can be enforced by the NFL, However these are millionairs, of course they are going to get a little crazy with there money, paying fines and being suspended. What will work the most is when the fines and suspensions starts making a big hole in their pockets and then they will realize they need to grow up and be responsible. No they are not geting unfair standards off the field because us poor people could get in the same amount of trouble as them but we dont have any money to pay for it all so we have already grown to be responsible with what standards we recieved.
Kinsey Vega | 4 weeks, 1 day ago
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foot ball
my comment is that i love foot ball a lot i played foot ball i played runing back and it was a big postion to keep u have to have hurt to play foot ball
carlos morris marshall | 3 weeks, 6 days ago
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football
I think it was a tremendous game and i really enjoyed it to the fullest
Toni Anderson | 3 weeks, 4 days ago
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na!
They are being unfair, its not college or highschool anymore. There grown adults, despite their roles in life.
kaine gill | 3 weeks, 1 day ago
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07036915124
i love footboll
abubakar mohammed sadeeq | 2 weeks, 6 days ago
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Mr.
Professionals in all fields should be held accountable on or off duty.
Enitan Jacobson | 2 weeks, 2 days ago
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