NFL Three Strike Rules

While there are no official NFL Three Strike Rules for player conduct, the issue has been discussed by National Football League players, NFL Players Association union officials and league commissioner Roger Goodell. Discussion of a "three strikes, and you're out" policy for repeat off-the-field misconduct continues. In the meantime, the league currently operates under a player conduct code that was revised and strengthened in April 2007.

  1. NFL Three Strike Rules Proposal

    • The first discussion of establishing a set of NFL three strike rules began in 2007, at a meeting between Goodell, then-NFLPA head Gene Upshaw and several current professional football players. Accoding to what Upshaw told ESPN's Chris Mortensen in February of that year, it was the players--including Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Panthers WR Steve Smith--who recommended expulsion from the league for repeat criminal offenders.

    NFL Personal Conduct Policy

    • When Goodell unveiled the revised conduct policy a few months later, it did not contain a lifetime ban for repeat offenders. Instead, the policy focused on longer penalties for off-the-field issues, and included penalties not just for players but for coaches, front office personnel and even league employees. The focus was to emphasize responsible conduct, and any act that is judged to harm the league's image or reputation is punishable, even if it doesn't actually involve explicit criminal behavior.

    NFL Conduct Policy Punishment

    • Though there are no actual NFL Three Strike Rules on the books, the punishments for repeat transgressions can be quite severe. Players can be suspended for any period of time and fined any amount, with each successive violation resulting in quicker and more severe punishment. In fact, repeat offenders suspended under Goodell's revised policy must prove their right to re-enter the league through good conduct, participating in counseling and treatment programs, and meeting other evaluation criteria determined by the commissioner and league officials.

    Players Suspended Under NFL Conduct Policy

    • Four NFL players have been suspended for off-field conduct under the league's revised policy. Former Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys CB Adam Jones was suspended for the entire 2007 season while facing two felony charges, only to be reinstated for 2008 and suspended again--this time indefinitely--at the end of the season following his involvement in another incident. Bengals WR Chris Henry was suspended for eight games after being arrested four times in 14 months, and was later released by the team. QB Michael Vick is currently suspended indefinitely for his role in an illegal dog fighting ring, while DT Tank Johnson had previously served a suspension for a misdemeanor weapons charge.

    Future Plans for NFL Three Strike Rules

    • While there is no such policy at this moment, no one in the league or the NFLPA seems to be willing to completely close the door on eventually establishing a set of NFL Three Strike Rules. The proposed policy does have its critics, however, including SI writer Bill Syken. Says Syken, "Can't GMs and league officials judge for themselves who are the real problem cases, and how many chances they should get? After all, the NFL isn't working with some broad population of relative strangers. They have these players under their watchful eye, and know them better than any judge knows a defendant."