NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has hard choices ahead of him

Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, has some decisions to make. He soon will have to decide on the NFL futures of running backs Ray Rice and Adrian Petersen.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will soon decide if players Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, both in trouble with the law over domestic abuse, will be allowed to return to the league. Elsa / AFP

Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, has some decisions to make.
Not on where the next Super Bowl will be played or on a rule change within the game. No, those are typical commissioner matters.
Goodell soon will have to decide on the NFL futures of running backs Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson. Each left the league with a public-opinion black eye this season when domestic violence charges were brought against them in separate incidents. Both made progress in their appeals last week.
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The mother of Peterson's son agreed with the plea deal the Minnesota Vikings' star reached on Tuesday and does not want Peterson's career to be harmed by the child-abuse case that has already taken the running back off the field for eight games.
One day later, Goodell testified under oath in Rice's appeal hearing over whether he should be allowed to play in the NFL again. After video footage of Rice knocking out his girlfriend came to light, the league suspended him indefinitely and the Baltimore Ravens released him.
What does this all mean?
With the plea deal, Peterson avoids a felony charge, jail time and now he wants back in the league. Rice has since married the woman he punched and she did not press criminal charges against him. So, like Peterson, he also wants to be allowed back in the league.
What would you do if you were Goodell? Unfortunately, for him, it sounds like just another day at the office.
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