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Schwartz: Biographer Suggests Rozelle Would've Handled Rice Case Differently

By Peter Schwartz
» More Columns

It's still hard to fathom how the NFL claims they couldn't get their hands on the Ray Rice elevator tape, but TMZ was able to get footage of the former Ravens running back knocking his then-fiancee out cold in a New Jersey casino.

In fact, earlier this month, the NFL said it reached out to law enforcement officials four times but were not able to come up with the video.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has come under a lot of scrutiny for the way he has handled the case, from his original ruling of a two-game suspension through his awful September press conference. And while we wait for Robert Mueller to complete the NFL's independent investigation into the saga, there is a question that comes to mind.

How would late former commissioner Pete Rozelle have handled this?

"He would not have had to call four times," said Jerry Izenberg, a longtime Star-Ledger columnist and the author of the new book, "Rozelle: A Biography." "They have enough guys in that security department to invade China, and they can't get one elevator tape?"

The book goes into great detail about the type of person Rozelle was and the impact he made on the NFL. One thing is for sure: Rozelle was a guy who would not let a situation like the Rice case turn into a fiasco.

That's a far cry from the current commissioner.

"Look at what Goodell has done in dragging this out," Izenberg said. "He's afraid of his owners and they're afraid of anything happening because they want to make more and more and more money."

Rozelle book
The cover of "Rozelle: A Biography" (credit: University of Nebraska Press)

The book has so many great stories. But you only have to examine one to get a sense of how Rozelle went about things.

In 1963, Rozelle found out that Packers running back Paul Hornung and Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras had been gambling on their own teams and other NFL games.

Rozelle decided not to call any of the NFL owners but instead chose to call Packers head coach Vince Lombardi and said he needed him in his office the following day.

At first Lombardi said he wasn't coming. Rozelle ordered him to show and hung up the phone.

"Then, (Rozelle) sweated it out," Izenberg said. "He didn't know whether Lombardi was coming in, and if Lombardi didn't come in he was in a load of trouble."

Lombardi did show up for the meeting -- and that's when Rozelle handed him a file. After about 10 minutes of looking it over, Lombardi told Rozelle he had no options, and that the commish should do what he has to do.

Later that night, Rozelle placed a call to Hornung who admitted he did something wrong and was ready to accept the punishment. Rozelle then called Karras, who did not handle the situation the same way.

"(Karras) put together four-letter words in a fashion that I can't mention and threatened to sue," Izenberg said.

The next day Rozelle held a press conference to announce that he was suspending Hornung and Karras for the entire season.

Rozelle also showed his iron fist when it came to drug testing. During talks with the owners and players, there was a stalemate in negotiations, so he studied the collective bargaining agreement with NFLPA executive director Ed Garvey.

"Rozelle said the owners weren't interested in having it," said Izenberg. "The players association wasn't interested in having it."

So, after six months of arbitration, Rozelle just went ahead and announced his plan in July of 1986. In October, an arbitrator ruled that Rozelle couldn't implement a system and that drug testing would have to be negotiated in the next CBA.

Even though his plan was overruled, Rozelle had the temerity to make a decision.

"That tells you a lot about Pete," said Izenberg.

It sure does, and it certainly makes you wonder how different things would be if Rozelle was in charge of the NFL today. But the book isn't just a tool to compare commissioners.

It's the story about a man who left an indelible mark on the National Football League. Whether it was the creation of Monday Night Football, the growth of the Super Bowl, ownership squabbles, labor negotiations, or the merger with the AFL, Rozelle certainly left his mark on professional football.

"Rozelle: A Biography" is published by University of Nebraska Press and is available at Amazon.com and most major book stores.

You can follow me on Twitter @pschwartzcbsfan. You can also follow University of Nebraska Press @UnivNebPress.

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