During his time as NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell has come under increasing fire for everything from player discipline, to Football safety, to the controversy surrounding the national anthem playing before games. Nevertheless, he's still the most powerful man in the sport -- when he speaks, the words carry weight.
Fans of the NFL tuned in to what Goodell had to say following the owners meeting this week.
Those who took heed learned of coming changes/points of emphasis to the game, the state of several franchises, and a potential legislative decision that could change the course of the sport forever.
Here are the three biggest takeaways Goodell announced from the NFL owners meeting.
1. No more head games
Concussions are the biggest player safety issue facing the sport of football right now. There's no true way to legislate violence out of the game, but the NFL has taken several steps in that direction anyway, penalizing head-to-head hits and aiming to prevent more head injuries.
Goodell explained that the helmet's core purpose of protection -- rather than weaponization -- was the rationale behind a rule change that came down yesterday aimed at getting rid of more head injuries and concussions.
Due to some confusion surrounding the rule change, however, the NFL will visit each team in the coming months to further explain the changes.
2. A forthcoming sale
Ever since Jerry Richardson put the Carolina Panthers up for sale following allegations of workplace misconduct, fans of the league have been paying attention to big names interested in the team. Those include Diddy, Steph Curry, and the owner of Fanatics. The price point, however, has led to some concern that the sale won't be coming the next time the NFL owners meet in May.
Not the case, Goodell claimed. He maintained that there's "unprecedented interest" in the team and that there will likely be a vote in less than two months. It remains unclear, however, who will be joining the NFL's exclusive club of owners.
3. Gambling
The NBA has been the league at the forefront of preparing for the legalization of gambling, with commissioner Adam Silver often bringing up the subject in interviews. The NFL is preparing for that eventuality as well.
Goodell revealed a study that has been conducted for several years on how legalized gambling could affect the league and how the NFL will plan on maintaining the integrity of the game. It's an issue that promises to impact all of sports soon enough -- the league needs to be on top of it.