I just heard the Roger Goodell (Commissioner of the NFL) interview, where he ‘encourages’ NFL teams to sign Colin Kaepernick to a contract. While ‘encourages’ falls far short of ‘demands’ or ‘wants’, I thought I would answer his ‘encouragement’ with a short note:
Dear Commissioner Goodell:
You have many talents as Commissioner. You juggle the needs (and egos) of 30 very wealthy team owners. You try to maintain the integrity of the league and the behavior of its players, in a very dynamic, ever-changing environment. But what you most decidedly are NOT: the General Manager of an NFL team. Let me elaborate.
You are responsible for the health of the NFL–a difficult job at best, impossible at worst. Your office looks into the business side of the NFL, including the potential impacts of player behavior, on and off the field. That last part is required, as most teams record of ‘self-policing’ is as dreadful as any other large bureaucracy: terrible to non-existent. You also negotiate with the NFL Players’ Association. All laudable tasks.
But the General Manager of each NFL team has quite different skills and responsibilities. First, a GM must draft and sign players, in various positions, skill levels, and salary levels, to WIN–all within a hard salary cap. Any player signing that would put the team over that cap number is simply not allowed. Signing a big-time free agent quarterback may be the best thing for a given team, but not if it means his large price tag necessitates cutting other valuable players from your team to stay under that cap. Depending on the make-up of your team, such a decision could make your team worse, not better. Money spent for player A is not available for player B. Tough job.
Along with that cap management role, a GM must look at how different players affect their team’s customer base. Personalities and player behavior affect some fan bases more than others. Some player’s ‘baggage’ is worth the price, since their particular talent is in short supply. Winning is amazing deodorant–it solves MANY problems. But only if you WIN.
Here is the tricky part for ANY NFL GM: he must evaluate talent levels, and equate them to available salary cap numbers. He must also determine ‘fit’ for that player–in the locker room, and gauge fan acceptance. Note that NONE of these things fall upon the Commissioner of the NFL.
So, if Colin Kaepernick is rated the 55th best quarterback in the league (I’m making numbers up), but demands a starter’s salary level (top 30), plus brings on MORE public relations headaches than he’s worth, you see the problem here. Do you sign CK to a contract that he (and maybe him alone) thinks he’s worth, taking a HUGE cap hit, given his skill level and PR effects? Or do you draft a QB in the fourth round of the NFL draft, pay him commensurately lower salary, and spend the difference on other team player needs? 30 NFL GMs have chosen the latter–not because they hate CK, or because he’s Black, but because his skill/PR level simply isn’t worth the cap hit. News flash, Mr. Goodell: if CK was at Drew Brees or Patrick Mahomes talent level, this discussion would not be taking place, because 25 or so teams would be in a bidding war for CK.
You be Commissioner. Leave General Managing to the guys hired to do that job, that get fired for making poor player decisions.
Yours truly, an NFL fan
PS: My status as a fan is not permanent. Keep screwing with my sport, I’m gone.
