Deflate-gate, defending champions and Tom Brady’s sixth appearance in the Super Bowl; Sunday never looked so good.
Now that Super Bowl Sunday rolled in and rolled right out, let’s take the time to reflect on this past National Football League season.
The NFL gave fans a lot this year.
From the current New England Patriots deflate-gate scandal to the Dallas Cowboys leaving their past post season woes in the dust, fans had a lot to cheer for, and a lot to be displeased about.
The most recent scandal that has turned the NFL upside down is deflate-gate.
Deflate-gate: the act in which the Patriots apparently compressed the footballs under NFL regulation and used them during the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Another team that everyone loves to hate also took some heat this past season.
The Cowboys and their bruised up, broken bones quarterback, Tony Romo, made the game their own this season by surpassing their usual 8-8 record and making it to the post- season without any typical Romo interceptions.
Not only did Dallas’ record infuriate Philadelphia Eagles fans, but also the idea of the New Jersey Governor befriending Jerry Jones, the owner of the Cowboys, sent them over the edge. Governor Chris Christie was harshly criticized for crossing the Delaware River to sit in a suite with the rival at the Lincoln Financial Field.
The biggest talk in the NFL this past season had nothing to do with team rivalries or balls being deflated.
The NFL had to face the harsh realities of domestic violence and child abuse.
Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice, was caught on surveillance tape in an elevator where he brutality punched his fiancée in the face.
Faced with the decision in whether to reinstated Rice, the NFL reached the verdict of reinstatement but he has not been signed to a team.
Rice and his fiancée are now married, and want everyone to stay out of their personal life.
Another fan favorite was also punished for violence.
The Minnesota Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson, was accused of child abuse for spanking his child with a switch.
Peterson was put on the commissioner’s permission/ exempt list, which means he is unable to participate in team activities, but will still receive pay. Order to be put on such list; the player must consent which allows the NFL Player’s Association to call it a “voluntary leave with pay”.
This season was filled with a lot of good, as well as a lot of bad.
Tough issues were addressed that not only made the NFL think about where it stood on certain controversies but also had fans think about how they perceive the players and the organization’s decisions.
Take the time to reflect on whether or not you think that the NFL handle these controversies well, and whether or not they could do better in the future.
Sadly, the NFL season is over and we must wait until the end of August to see what controversies the next season will bring.