Richard Sherman Criticizes NFL's Celebration, Personal-Conduct Policies

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman believes the NFL has lost its way when it comes to enforcing standards for touchdown celebrations and policies related to player conduct, and he thinks taking power away from Commissioner Roger Goodell would be a key step toward fixing the problem.

Sherman posted his latest piece, "Common Sense," for the Players' Tribune on Thursday.

In the essay, he explored the myriad of inconsistencies when it comes to punishments the NFL has handed out:

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The NFL doesn't want players to do anything that might set a bad example for the kids in its audience — such as showboat, or celebrate excessively — it features beer ads in all of its stadiums and in almost every commercial break. Josh Norman can't shoot an imaginary bow and arrow after a big pick because the NFL says that it depicts a "violent act." Meanwhile, the name of the team he plays for depicts Native Americans in a way that many people consider offensive.

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The three-time Pro Bowler also provided his view on the Josh Brown saga. The NFL originally suspended the former New York Giants kicker for one game for violating the league's personal-conduct policy, even though a 2014 league mandate put forth a six-game ban for a first-time domestic violence offense.

New York released Brown on Tuesday after further evidence related to a 2015 arrest emerged, including a document the kicker signed stating he “physically, verbally and emotionally” abused his ex-wife, according to NFL.com.

Nevertheless, Sherman stated the initial one-game suspension illustrated the NFL's overarching power:

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See, what some people didn't notice about the new personal conduct policy was that within the policy's language was the stipulation that the NFL reserved the right to impose a longer or shorter suspension depending on the circumstances of the incident.

So basically, there is no real policy. The NFL can do whatever it wants.

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Meanwhile, Christian Red of the New York Daily News noted Goodell downplayed any concerns about the way the league has handled such issues since the implementation of its personal-conduct policy during an interview on WFAN Radio:

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In the first year, 2015, the number of arrests for NFL players went down 40%. This year, we're seeing another similar decrease. So what we're seeing is the policy is working. Is it perfect? No. But we're dealing with very imperfect circumstances. Very complex circumstances. You strive to get it right in every opportunity.

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Sherman acknowledged it's not an easy task because the issues are often complex. But he believes the problem is made worse by the fact that there isn't a consistently enforced standard—and that Goodell gets the final call.

"He's not an all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful being," Sherman wrote about the commissioner, stating Goodell's power has prevented the disciplinary process from becoming transparent, which Sherman thinks needs to change moving forward.