On how he sees teams playing guys vs. not playing guys in the final week
of the regular season:
Commissioner Goodell: I actually don’t think it’s been a big issue this
year. It was an issue that we spent a great deal of time discussing in the
offseason last year. I think we owe the fans competitive football, and I think
our players should play when they’re capable of playing. I really go back to
the Giants-Patriots game last year in the regular season. Obviously, the
Patriots were going for an undefeated season, but the Giants had no
consequences. But it created that momentum, which may have started their move
toward the Super Bowl and ultimately winning the Super Bowl. I think coaches and
teams now are thinking more about getting that momentum going into the playoffs,
and I think that’s a good thing for our fans.
On whether an injury to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger would change that:
Injuries are part of the game. They happen. They’re unfortunate. Hopefully
it’s not serious, and he’ll be in there for the playoffs.
On if there is any thought about reseeding the playoffs and maybe having a
Wild Card team hosting a playoff game:
We talked an awful lot about that in the Competition Committee with the
membership last year. Frankly, they all felt that winning the division was the
No. 1 objective when you come into a season, and that should be the highest
priority. I think that we’ll continue on with that system at least for the
foreseeable future.
On whether there has been any thought to increasing the number of playoff
teams:
There have been proposals from time to time. There’s a great deal of
resistance to that, also, so I don’t see any great movement in that area.
On what the prospect of an 18-game schedule would mean for teams who are
in a late-season position with no hope for the playoffs:
Who knows? They might get on a win streak.
On if he doesn’t think 16 games is enough:
I think most fans would tell you that they’d like to see more football, and
that’s what we find. It’s really not just an extension. It’s a reduction
of the preseason and a potential increase of the regular season. I think people,
if they had the opportunity to see more regular season and less preseason, they’d
take that option.
On how instant replay has changed from just looking at it into a
frame-by-frame, high definition look:
That’s the way the game is. We didn’t have the high def when instant
replay came into the league. That’s the reality of what happens. You get more
angles. You get better angles, and you get a much more clear picture. So, you’re
able to determine things now that you couldn’t determine 10 years ago or 20
years ago.
On if there has been thought about moving replay calls to someone in the
booth:
We had that system once. From time to time, you hear that. We’ve had
different modifications of the system, but it was felt that the referee on the
field who has all the information should make the ultimate decision and the
decision should stay down there. That’s ultimately where the Competition
Committee and the clubs came out.
On whether he sees any further changes in the replay system for the
playoffs, particularly the change talked about regarding a second consultation:
That’s in effect. That has been in effect for the remainder of the regular
season and the postseason. I don’t see anything more, no, for this postseason.
But we will obviously, as we do every year, go back and look at instant replay
and see if there are any other modifications that make sense.
On what the latest news is on the Collective Bargaining Agreement:
They’re going through the process of selecting the new leader of the NFLPA.
We are doing our work internally to make sure we’re prepared for the
negotiation when they’re ready. We’ll start those negotiations whenever they’re
prepared. I’m presuming they probably won’t start until the summer, at
least.