Throughout Roger Goodell’s tenure as NFL commissioner, he has developed a reputation as a leader who allows moderately divisive issues to fester. Whether it was expensive investigations, drawn-out suspensions or arcane rules changes, Goodell has come across largely as an executive who checks the direction of the wind before finally making a decision.
On Wednesday, a far more significant lack of fortitude was displayed in full for the NFL community and country at large when, in addressing the NFL’s new national anthem policy, Goodell attempted to filibuster, then rushed away from the podium after taking just three questions.