NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and chief assistant Troy Vincent were told by 11 former players Tuesday that the league must act immediately when someone is accused of domestic violence.
At a 3 1/2-hour meeting to discuss ways to improve the league's personal conduct policy, the former players also said teams must be held accountable when players misbehave.
"One question asked around the room was, when an arrest occurs, do you take them off the field or let them play and let the due process take care of itself?" said Vincent, the NFL's vice president of football operations.
"To a man, they said, 'Take them off the field, pay them, and let due process take care of itself.'"
At the meeting were Hall of Famer Mike Singletary, plus Matt Birk, Eddie Mason, Patrick Kerney, Willie McGinest, Roman Oben, Marty Lyons, Charles Way, Tony Paige, Scott Turner and Robert Porcher. More weekly meetings are planned among league officials and former players, current players and team owners.
The NFL has faced heavy criticism of its personal conduct policy after incidents this year involving Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Greg Hardy, Ray McDonald and Jonathan Dwyer. Goodell repeatedly has said he mishandled the punishment of Rice for punching his then-fiancee in a hotel elevator.
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