Well, there’s a headline I thought I’d never type. Following up on what the NFL has been hinting at the last 24 hours, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the league will fine the players who participated in this weekend’s Arm Wrestling Championship in Las Vegas.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that list includes: James Harrison, Arthur Moats, and Maurkice Pouncey. The event was littered with other NFL players, including a strong showing by several soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders (punter Marquette King, running back Jalen Richard), with irony so thick you could cut it with a knife.
The league issued a statement yesterday saying the organizers of the event did not seek the NFL’s approval and that it violates their anti-gambling policy.
It’s unclear how much each player will be fined and if the players will attempt to push back against Roger Goodell and the rest of the league. Harrison, one of Goodell’s most vocal critics, may end up making justified waves on social media.
Remember, kids. Move an entire NFL franchise to Las Vegas? Have an entire business model rooted in gambling? That’s all kosher. Have a couple players attend a fun event that will be broadcasted on one of your partnered channels (CBS)? No dice.
No fun league, indeed.
