NFL Personal Conduct Policy

I know Ryan will complain that this entry is too long, but deal with it (you know who you are):

With all the discussions about whether Brett Favre will be fined or suspended under the personal conduct policy of the NFL for the alleged pictures, texts, and voicemails he sent, I have received several questions about what exactly is the personal conduct policy and who does it cover. The Personal Conduct Policy as adopted by the NFL is somewhat long and detailed, so I will provide a quick version:

The purpose of the policy is to punish those who engage in violent or criminal behavior detrimental to the integrity of the league. Not only are players under contract covered by the policy, but so are NFL and team employees, drafted but unsigned rookies, and unsigned free agents. Any player charged or accused of such behavior will be required to have a consultation with the commissioner. Any person convicted of a crime or that pleads guilty or nolo contendere is subject to discipline under the policy, which can include a fine, suspension, or banishment from the league. There is also a section in the policy that applies to criminal or threatening activity in the workplace, and violators may be subject to mandatory counseling or even be terminated. The one comical aspect of the policy is that any appeals must go through the commissioner, who would have to overrule himself to reduce a punishment. This seems a little one-sided with no checks and balances, so look for the player’s union to address this issue in the near future.

So the question becomes, how is the alleged Brett Favre incident covered under the policy? Sending inappropriate texts and pictures, while maybe immoral or unethical, is not criminal or violent behavior, so how can Favre be punished? The answer is very simple. Since the commissioner created the policy and is responsible for enforcing it, he can simply apply the policy to whatever he sees fit. This is a very embarrassing incident for the NFL, and you better believe Commissioner Goodell will punish Favre if he believes he has enough evidence that the alleged incidents occurred as reported. Now, if you are thinking “How is the player’s union accepting the commissioner having all of this unilateral power,” they are not, and this will likely be one of the heavily debated topics once the collective bargaining discussions begin.