What We Learned from Roger Goodell's Reddit 'Ask Me Anything' Q&A Session

From questions about socks to player safety, NFL fans came out in droves to ask commissioner Roger Goodell for answers when he took to Reddit on Monday.

Goodell isn't beloved by players or fans, but his willingness to put himself out there in a public forum like this shows that he's at least willing to engage those who disapprove. 

Being a lawyer, many of Goodell's answers weren't really answers, but deflections. That said, this "Ask Me Anything" session did provide a few nuggets of truth.

Let's take a look at some of the highlights of today's session.

On the Subject of the Officials' Lockout

Everyone wanted to know if the game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks—aka the "Fail Mary"—was the tipping point that pushed the NFL to come to an agreement with the refs.

Goodell didn't really answer the question. He deflected it by talking in generalities, which didn't sit well with the general public. 

The consensus from commenters in response to Goodell's non-answer was something along the lines of, "so, it was Packers vs. Seahawks, then."

Is it really so hard to admit something this blatantly obvious? 

For men in Goodell's position, apparently so. 

On the Subject of Goodell's Poor Approval Rating

This was bound to come up, as USA Today's Mike Garafalo recently published a column documenting the fact that 61 percent of players who voted in a recent poll disapprove of Goodell's job performance. 

After a season that included "Bounty Gate" and numerous fines, it's no surprise to me that players aren't happy with Goodell.

To his credit, Goodell didn't shy away from responding to the question of why he thinks players don't approve, but like his first answer, he provided a general response that didn't really delve into anything substantial. 

Fans saw right through this answer, and one of my favorite responses was, "Nice dodge, Rodge." 

On the Subject of Socks

There were multiple instances where fans wanted to know why Frank Gore was fined more for wearing socks too low than Tom Brady was for spiking Ed Reed.

Goodell gave an answer that justifies his position, as far as the socks go, but he never got into the comparison between Brady's actions and Gore's.

I understand where he's coming from. That said, it's pretty hypocritical that the NFL—a league supposedly obsessed with player safety—would dole out stiffer fines for uniform violations than a play that could have injured someone. 

Fans mostly wanted to know if players get warned beforehand, and the answer is yes. That said, many fans also had similar feelings to the one I expressed.

On the Subject of the Pro Bowl

Another hot topic was whether or not the Pro Bowl will continue. This isn't surprising, since the game was played just yesterday and since Goodell recently came out to say the game might not be played again if players didn't put forth a better effort than the one we saw in 2012. 

When asked about possible changes we might see to the Pro Bowl in the future, Goodell was about as forthcoming as Jim Harbaugh in a press conference—he didn't really give us anything to hang our hats on. 

The response from fans was generally a bevy of suggestions about how to make the Pro Bowl more appealing. Most everyone wants to see the skill competitions return, and we saw some other interesting suggestions, including a "wipeout-style" obstacle course for linemen.

On the Subject of Bounties

Many people wanted to know if Goodell was sorry for any part he played in the "Bountygate" scandal. They wanted to know if he would take anything back if he could, but like many of the other questions, Goodell's "answer" wasn't forthcoming. 

Yes, Goodell removed bounties from the game, and nobody can argue that's not a positive thing. 

That said, to state essentially that the ends justify the means didn't sit well with me, nor did it sit well with many of the commenters.

Fans were getting sick of Goodell's refusal to truly answer any meaningful questions at this point. 

Chris Kluwe Rickrolls Goodell

Never one to shy away from the limelight, even when discussing topics not necessarily popular in football culture, Kluwe made an appearance (h/t Deadspin.com) in Goodell's "Ask Me Anything" forum. 

The crazy part is that Goodell actually responded, though I'm about 99.9 percent sure he didn't realize where the question originated from. 

The most interesting part of this story will be how Goodell responds after he realizes what really happened. 

What We Learned

Goodell also touched on a few other topics, including how the league will treat low blocks, touchdown celebrations and the blackout rule.

We learned, for the most part, that Goodell should run for political office. 

He clearly understands how to not say anything while pretending to say a lot.

His diplomatic responses to some tough questions gave us more insight to why he's not popular with fans and players. 

Goodell is in office for one reason: He's there to do the bidding of the 32 owners running the teams that make the NFL function. 

And while it was certainly cool that he took the time to answer questions, the most important thing we learned about Goodell and the NFL is that things aren't going to change a whole lot, and he won't answer any question he doesn't have to. 

That, and Kluwe might be getting a note to go to the office really soon. 

Note: All Screenshots courtesy of Reddit.com.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78