The Ten Biggest Issues Facing The NFL

• Player safety - Players trying to get an edge have started using lighter padding for more speed, which has raised concerns from the NFL headquarters. NFL PR man Brian McCarthy explained to the issue to the USA today. “Many NFL players have abandoned knee, thigh and hip pads to try to gain a speed edge,” McCarthy explains. “Many wide receivers, defensive backs and linebackers wear little more than helmets and shoulder pads. But Commissioner Roger Goodell wants to make the game safer for players … The league also wants to set a safety example for college and high school players.”
• Player benefits - Retired NFL players still are not happy over benefits. "We're not asking for the NFL to give handouts," former Dallas Cowboys tight end Billy Joe DuPree said. "We're asking for opportunities for guys to be self-sufficient." Cris Collinsworth told Mike Florio that players will go broke if there is a lockout. NFL players have got accustomed to living a lavish lifestyle that they can no longer live when they retire.
• CBA - For a news deal to be struck, the league and the players association need to agree on smaller issues. "Why don't the NFL and the union try to work out agreements on smaller issues," Mike Florio said, in the hopes of building some momentum by establishing common ground?" The biggest setback from the league and the union agreeing on a deal is money. The NFLPA currently holds 59.6 percent of shares and they are not interested in giving up any ground, especially without knowing the financial situations of the franchises.
  
• Rookie wage scale - The money top rookies are making is offensive to anyone involved in the NFL. Adam Schefter of ESPN recently reported that Rams rookie Sam Bradford will sign a contract that has $45 - $50 million in guaranteed money, which would make him the most expensive player in NFL history. If Bradford never played a down in the NFL, he would still make $50 million dollars. The NFLPA is looking for a three-year path to unrestricted free agent, with no franchise tag or other restriction on getting to the open market. The NFL would never agree to that.
• Steroids policy - HGH is banned by the NFL, but the NFLPA has not allowed the league to use blood testing on players. The NFL lets players off the hook more often than not. In April 2005, the AP reported only 54 out of 111 players who have tested positive for steroids have been suspended by the NFL. If the NFL and the union do not solve their issues, the congress will intervene, probably making stiffer penalties. Neither side wants that.
• Misconduct of retired players - The NFL looks the other way when retired players conduct is not acceptable. In addition, entrance to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is based only on NFL performance, not on player conduct. Roger Goodell told Mike Florio that "my ability on the discipline side is extremely limited as it relates to former players."
• Personal conduct policy - This obviously needs to be addressed after high profile players like Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Vick, and Plaxico Burress violating the NFL's policy in the last three years. The current system does not work. Instead of only punishing bad behavior, the NFL could reward good behavior, or award teams that have players who have not been arrested.
• Broadcasting - The NFL made Sunday Night Football available on a live stream on NBCSports.com in 2008, and the league could decide to post more games online. Thursday night football features live look-ins and instant replays, but fans are still looking for more. That's because major cable companies Time Warner and Charter do not carry NFL Network. Which means, yours truly won't be watching NFL Network anytime soon.
• League Expansion - Even after dropping the NFL Europe, the NFL continues to try to add a full time NFL franchise in London. In addition to London, the NFL has expressed interest in bringing a team to Los Angeles. There have also been rumors that the United Football League could become an NFL minor league.
• Scheduling process - Fans and players alike have long called for the NFL to shorten the preseason. Roger Goodell had this to say about the enhanced season: "It’s clear the fans don’t want four preseason games. It’s clear the players don’t want four preseason games. They tell me that all the time. If you ask them that question, they’ll tell you. And we really don’t need it to make the game better. So we have to evolve just as we did a couple of decades ago when we went from six preseason games to four and went from 14 regular season games to 16. This concept has been done before as the game evolves and it helps improve the game."