The NFL has come under heat with their suspension process as of late.
The handling of the NFL’s cases against Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins, and Calvin Ridley show different levels of punishment.
While Ridley gets a year-long suspension for gambling on NFL games, Watson only got an 11-game suspension for his sexual assault case.
However, there’s another player NFL fans can add to this equation.
With Aaron Rodgers now admitting he took ayahuasca, which is banned in the U.S., it raises questions with the NFL suspension process.
Is the NFL truly playing favorites by the suspensions they hand to players?
Inconsistency With Punishments Is Causing A Distrust In The NFL Suspension Process
The NFL seems to have a tougher stance on gambling than any else currently when suspending players.
Baseball fans have seen what happens to players when they get caught gambling on games.
It was something that continues to keep Pete Rose out of the MLB Hall of Fame.
Pete Rose has petitioned MLB and the Hall of Fame for reinstatement based on the recent Astros penalties. Rose “does not dispute the severity of his violations,” according to the filing, but in light of the recent rulings suggests his lifetime ban is “disproportionate”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 5, 2020
However, Ridley is lucky he’s not getting the Pete Rose treatment by the NFL.
But is what he’s done more severe than the case against Watson?
If Ridley gets a one-year suspension for what he did, Watson should have gotten more with his case.
Even former NFL QB Robert Griffin III feels the punishment for Watson wasn’t enough.
https://twitter.com/RGIII/status/1560312417090867200?s=20&t=ukrMHKCxLf3CL3EFkWXFSQ
The NFL’s inconsistency with suspension time against players doesn’t help when some feel the process isn’t fair.
When you add in how Rodgers isn’t getting suspended for his use of ayahuasca in 2020, it blows everything away.
NFL Has A Bad History Of Appearing To Play Favorites
Player suspensions aren’t the only area the NFL seems to have issues with when trying to maintain integrity.
While MLB suspended coaches involved in a sign stealing scandal in Houston, the NFL doesn’t do the same.
Bombshell: #MLB suspends #Astros manager AJ Hinch and General Manager Jeff Luhnow for one year for sign stealing allegations, then club owner Jim Crane FIRES them both.
No player discipline imposed by MLB or Crane.
Hinch was under contract through 2022, Luhnow through 2023.
— Red Sox Nation Stats (@RSNStats) January 13, 2020
However, the people involved in filming other teams never saw this kind of punishment.
During Spygate, Bill Belichick and staff members of the New England Patriots were accused of filming the Jets.
The NFL would fine Belichick $500,000, while the Patriots got a $250,000 fine.
But Belichick never got a year long suspension, unlike the manager who was stealing signs in baseball games.
With the NFL being soft on the Patriots for stealing defensive signals, it makes some fans believe they are playing favorites.
The lack of a suspension of Belichick and others has given fans plenty of reasons to not trust their process.
Can The NFL Ever Regain Trust With Fans When Suspending Players?
Three different NFL players have seen three different results in getting suspensions from the NFL.
While Ridley and Watson got suspensions in their cases, Rodgers is seeing no punishment.
However, some can say that Rodgers’ admission isn’t enough to suspend him for something he did in 2020.
But it at least shows the NFL wasn’t doing its due diligence back then.
If the NFL wants to regain trust with fans and this process, they need to be consistent and firm with their process.
Until they do this, fans and players can’t trust their process, as too many people have gotten away with misdeeds in the past.
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