Abstract
The National Football League (NFL) had its darkest year in 2014. First, Ray Rice, former a running back with the Baltimore Ravens, assaulted his girlfriend, and lost his job only after the surveillance video surfaced. Further, the surveillance video was troubling for the FBI to conduct an independent investigation into the NFL’s handling of Ray Rice’s situation. Second, Greg Hardy, formerly a defensive end with the Carolina Panthers, was convicted of assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend at his apartment. Finally, despite the NFL’s attempts to make the game safer, head injuries remain the biggest threat to the future of football. For example, after John Abraham suffered his first concussion of his career on Monday Night Football, he told his head coach his “heart was not in the game anymore” and left the team.
Based on this turmoil, the NFL is searching for answers to reduce the negative media surrounding these events. The NFL and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) should focus on situations involving head injuries and domestic violence in the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Regarding the CBA, the NFL has been bombarded with lawsuits over the years from antitrust suits to disputes regarding free agency. New disputes arose involving head injuries and domestic violence, which will carry major consequences if not resolved. This comment uncovers the issues in the NFL’s CBA and proposes solutions to maintain the integrity of the NFL.
Recommended Citation
Spencer Jackson,
A Ding to the Head: How Concussions and Domestic Violence Impact the NFL in the Next CBA,
42
S. Ill. U. L.J.
325
(2018).
Available at:
https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/siulj/vol42/iss2/6