On April 10, 2007, the National Football League instituted a new conduct policy to help control off-field behavior by its players and also preserve the league’s public image. It was the brain child of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who wanted a tougher, new personal-conduct policy applying to the players’ personal lives and public image.
But given all the headlines (Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Vick, Pac Man Jones, Chris Henry, Tank Johnson- also the five players who have been suspended since this policy was implemented) we’ve heard during this three year period, it’s clear Goodell’s attempts to play God and legislate morality aren’t exactly, uh, um, working- yeah that’s it.
By Paul M. Banks
In addition to the behavior policy, the NFL also conducts separate investigations for drug and alcohol abuse and performance enhancement. Obviously, it’s not deterring anything from a behavior standpoint. Despite the crapola ESPN fed us last fall, Chris Henry was not turning his life around; neither is/was Adam “Pac Man” Jones.
If it’s not acting as a true deterrent, then why have such a Draconian policy? To augment the league from a PR perspective?
If this is all about image, then it’s massive failure again on two levels. When a well-known and wealthy athlete gets into trouble with the law in any league other than the NFL, we don’t immediately see the mainstream media also cover the “what is the league going to do about this?” angle on the story. Simply because- no other league has such a policy!
So Goodell’s poor attempt to minimize bad publicity backfires, and more negative attention gets thrust onto the situation at hand. Also, now it seems like every time an ex-NFL player gets in trouble (see scumbag Lawrence Taylor or the having-a-rough-go-of-it Corey Dillon), the news cycle kicks in an extra gear. This is no doubt a by-product of the conduct policy. 
I hate the presence of this policy more than Michael Scott hated the presence of Toby at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. And then there’s another small, miniscule, tiny little problem with this policy- THE LEGALITY OF IT!
Fanhouse columnist Clay Travis is a practicing attorney and graduate of Vanderbilt University school of law.
“I’ve been on this for years, one of those things that I’ve written about and been astounded that no one else really gets it, the personal conduct policy is illegal!” said Travis.
“This astounds me, tens of millions of words on the NFL each year, and most of them are completely meaningless. 95% of people write the same thing. Then, you have a fascinating issue that intersects sports with the law, public policy, unions, individual rights, philosophies of justice, theories of retribution, you name it. And I’m like the only guy writing about it,” Travis continued.
I’m hoping Travis writes about it more. I’m hoping other writers join him. Along with many television, radio and internet reporters who could increase awareness on this issue.
Maybe the second ever Clay Travis food strike is in order to help bring an end to this injustice-
“Back when I started practicing law in the Virgin Islands there was no NFL Sunday Ticket, so I couldn’t see the Titans. I decided to go on a pudding strike and only eat pudding as a way of protest.
I did that for fifty days.
Let’s see Tebow do that.”