At the NFL owners' meeting this week, many issues and events caught headlines. The Raiders were approved to leave Oakland and move to Las Vegas, rule changes were put in place, and much more. Commissioner Roger Goodell has been the leader of these meetings, and on Tuesday he said he plans to make a return to a place he hasn't been to in a while.
The NFL commissioner plans to be at the Patriots home opener Thursday night, making it his first visit back to Gillette Stadium since the Deflategate scandal that resulted in QB Tom Brady's four-game suspension last season.
Not so warm welcome
Roger Goodell shouldn't expect a warm welcome from the Patriot fans. It's the NFL's tradition to award the defending Super Bowl champs the first game of the regular season at home, so this is a fair assumption. If they continue that tradition, the Patriots will host the first game of the season at Gillette Stadium, with the Patriot faithful at their side. According to ESPN Goodell said at the owners meeting Tuesday "I plan to be at the kickoff game." Hopefully Goodell isn't expecting some kind of rock star welcome when he arrives, as he is the person who gave Tom Brady his four-game suspension last season.
Patriots' owner Robert Kraft doesn't seem to mind if Goodell comes to Foxborough to see the Pats play, according to ESPN he said, "He's commissioner of the league.
As we all know, he has the right to go wherever he wishes to go. And if he wanted to come, he is welcome to come. It's not a formal invitation, but it's the closest Goodell will get to one from Kraft. Patriots fans aren't fond of Goodell, as he has punished the Pats for the Spygate scandal against the Jets, and their recent Deflategate scandal.
Gronkowski explains
Rob Gronkowski explained the fans hatred towards the NFL commissioner when asked about if Goodell would survive a return to Boston saying, "The fans are nuts. They are wild. They have the Patriots' back no matter what. They have Tom's back, I'm telling you. [Goodell] won't get through the highway if the fans saw him.
I don't even think he can land in the airport in Boston, because Patriots fans are the best fans. They're the most loyal fans." per Bleacherreport.
Roger Goodell is a man with a job to represent the NFL and the shield. It seems like he upsets Patriots fans in the process when he does his job. He plans to be back in Boston for the season opener Thursday, and that will be a headliner leading up to the game. Hearing the boos rain down from the Patriot faithful will surely be hilarious. Goodell might want to bring ear plugs, as Gillette stadium might be the loudest it's been in years.
