If you were looking for a story that combined some of the biggest names and relevant news right now, this might be it.
It’s been said for some time now that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been trying to slow down NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract extension talks. Per ESPN, Jones led the charge on behalf of 17 NFL owners on a conference call in order to halt Goodell’s extension, which was expected to be finalized in November. Those owners are said to be unhappy with the way the commish has handled various scandals and issues, including player protests, the way the league handled the relocation of the Rams and Chargers to Los Angeles, and the handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence case.
If Jones, who is also embroiled in the controversy surrounding anthem protests as well as the ongoing Ezekiel Elliot suspension, wants Goodell fired, he’s going to need more than 17 owners. The NFL requires 24 owners to approve of a commissioner’s firing. However, Jones seems hellbent on making thing miserable enough for Roger that he might consider stepping down rather than remaining the face of the league. The situation is now so big that Goodell’s wife isn’t going to be able to handle it on Twitter.
To that end, Jones has reportedly hired the services of David Boies, per The New York Times. Boies’ name might sound familiar because he’s currently embroiled in a massive scandal of his own, the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment case.
Boies is the one who hired investigators to dig up dirt on women who were accusing Weinstein of sexual assault in order to threaten or silence them. Boies is also accused of being part of the effort to kill the New York Times piece that brought forth the allegations against Weinstein, all the while working for the Times in other aspects. The Times has since fired him.
Jones is a nonvoting member of the committee that oversees Goodell’s contract but following that call, he was removed from the compensation committee altogether. While Jones had reportedly said during that conference call that he intended to sue the league and specific NFL owners if action wasn’t taken against Goodell, that lawsuit has yet to be filed.
It’s a bold strategy by the brash owner. Never one to hold back his opinion, Jones is usually known for flexing his muscle in line with what the NFL wants. However this time he’s more reminiscent of Al Davis, the former Raiders owner who frequently clashed with his fellow owners. Given the fact that he controls one of the league’s marquee franchises and stadiums, as well as a hand in many NFL partnerships and sponsorships, he holds a certain sway that Davis never quite had.
It’s been an ugly year for the NFL so far given the way the league has handled the player protests and their continued lukewarm response to issues such as sexual assault and brain injuries. Clearly, if Jones continues down this path, it can still get a whole lot uglier.
