But every now and then, The Shield gives us a stark reminder that the NFL is concerned with printing money—and little else.
With the recent suspensions of Packers running back Aaron Jones, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston and others, the league continued its trend in recent years of issuing inconsistent and inexplicable punishments for a variety of transgressions.
While the league’s discipline policy for banned substances has been relatively consistent, violations relating to team rules and personal conduct away from the team facility have been laughably confusing. And while it’s not always a good idea to be so cynical, it’s easy to connect the dots on these actions to see the NFL offices merely reacting to public sentiment and keeping their TV show largely intact.