Dallas Cowboys owner seeks to oust commissioner, enlists Harvey Weinstein lawyer
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has hired Harvey Weinstein lawyer David Boies and threatened to sue the NFL and other team owners over league commissioner Roger Goodell’s ongoing contract negotiations.
The New York Times, citing three anonymous sources, reported on Wednesday that Jones told the NFL compensation committee in a phone call last week that he planned to file suit on Friday “if the committee did not scrap or delay its current plans to extend Goodell’s contract.” In preparation, he enlisted Boies, a veteran attorney who recently came under fire for his work on behalf of Weinstein.
According to ESPN, Jones has the backing of 16 other team owners seeking to oust Goodell, but the league would need approval from 24 owners in order to fire the commissioner.
Also Read: Vin Scully Says He’ll ‘Never Watch Another NFL Game’ After Anthem Protests
Jones’ move against Goodell comes months after the 32 owners — including Jones — voted unanimously to extend Goodell’s contract in May. His previous contract was set to expire at the end of the 2018 season.
According to the Times, Jones reversed his position after the commissioner gave a six-game suspension to Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was accused of domestic violence. ESPN reported last month that Jones was singlehandedly standing in the way of Goodell’s extension. (Elliott’s suspension is currently on hold and no charges were filed in the case.)
The clash comes as the NFL and Goodell faced criticism over players’ decisions to protest by kneeling or sitting during the national anthem at games. Jones told reporters last month that his team would not tolerate “disrespecting the flag,” and that players who do “won’t play.”
9 Reasons Why NFL TV Ratings Might Be Down This Year (Photos)
After years of ratings dominance, viewing of NFL games on TV this season is down by 12 percent. But why? Click on to see some possible reasons.
Donald Trump The GOP nominee has impacted everything else, so why not football? Fans have understandably had a hard time paying attention to the game during this crazy White House campaign.
Peyton Manning The legendary QB has retired, depriving the NFL of one of its most recognizable faces.
Chicago Cubs Yep, as Cubs fan Bill Murray knows, the baseball team’s fantasy journey from perennial losers to the World Series has been this fall’s Cinderella story. Kinda makes football look puny in comparison.
Colin Kaepernick His principled refusal to stand for the national anthem has turned into a cause celebre that has polarized fans and generated bad PR for the NFL.
Thursday Night Football Hey, who (aside from New Englanders) wants to see the Patriots score a 27-0 blowout against the Texans? Didn’t think so. Hardcore fans are complaining about the lousy match-ups on this season’s schedule.
Ray Rice He may not play anymore, but the former running back is the symbol of ongoing domestic-violence scandals that have soured many fans on the sport.
NFL RedZone A lot of fans have gotten hooked on the special NFL-owned, game-day exclusive RedZone channel, hosted by Hanson. Unfortunately, that might mean lower ratings for broadcast partners.
Brett Favre Fan concern has steadily increased about the health effects on pros who took repeated hard hits during their career. Former QB Favre even said that his occasional memory lapses scared him and convinced him not to come out of retirement again. The worry has led to special game rules that some fans say has made the games boring.
Roger Goodell He may be «the most powerful man in sports,» but the NFL commissioner has taken a lot of flak lately over issues from domestic violence to Deflategate — including from league owners, three of whom told The Daily Caller this year that it was time for a replacement.
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From a crazy election year to the national anthem controversy, pro football has faced obstacles this season
After years of ratings dominance, viewing of NFL games on TV this season is down by 12 percent. But why? Click on to see some possible reasons.
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