NFL Network reporter Scott Hanson caught up with Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday to ask him several questions about the state of the league and the new CBA. Goodell was making a stop at Panthers training camp and half way through the interview Hanson hit Goodell with questions about the personal conduct policy and more specifically if he would be taking any action against Steelers linebacker James Harrison for the comments he made in the August issue of Men’s Journal magazine.
Below is the transcript of those questions and answers and you can watch the entire interview with Goodell on NFL.com.
Hanson: One thing I’m not sure fans are clear on since the CBA agreement was announced, the personal conduct policy. Will you remain the judge, jury and appellate court when it comes to personal conduct and the enforcement thereof?
Goodell: Well Scott I don’t look at it like that. You know we have a personal conduct policy that\’s developed with the players that\’s part of our negotiations. It\’s important to the players in the league as well as the clubs and I think it\’s one of the reasons why we continue to have the reputation that we have, which we\’re going to conduct ourselves the right way and reflect well on what we do and the people who play this game and the fans who deserve that respect. So we\’re going to continue to make sure we do things the right way on and off the field.
Hanson: One of the issues that maybe had drawn personal conduct attention was the James Harrison\’s comments in the magazine article where he took shots at his own teammates and made personal attacks against you and it may have offended gay people in the process. Have you talked to James? He issued an apology at Steelers camp, have you talked to him?
Goodell: I have not.
Hanson: He has not reached out to you?
Goodell: I have not spoken to him
Hanson: He said his comment were inappropriate. Do you plan on taking any action against him for his comments?
Goodell: No I don\’t.
