Goodell holds State of the League address in Phoenix
PHOENIX, Ariz. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gave his annual Super Bowl State of the League address.
The commissioner took the stage in Phoenix, fielding questions on all things pro football, like concussion protocols.
"Anytime we can change the protocols to make it safer for our players, we're going to do that. What we changed in October or something that we thought would give us a better opportunity to treat those conditions more conservatively, give the players an opportunity to get off the field and recover. You know, I think that's also a reason why concussions went up this year because we had a broader definition of more conservative definition. We had, I think, an increase of 17 percent of evaluations. So if you have more valuations, you're gonna have more concussions," Goodell spoke.
The 2022-23 season enjoyed another record-setting year in viewership; with games played in London, Germany and Mexico, the global reach also continues to expand.
"Having been somebody involved with American football in Germany through the NFL since 1989, to me it was really rewarding to see how our fan base has expanded and we want to make NFL football is a global sport. And I think we'll continue on this path. We broke every record around our international games this year, whether it was viewership or attendance. The excitement is just extraordinary," Goodell delved further.
Diversity has been another hot topic in the league when it comes to front office, hiring head coaches and having two black quarterbacks face off for the first time in Super Bowl history.
"Quarterbacks, in general obviously, that's the field general. I think we have 11 Black starting quarterbacks today. They're some of the best leaders I've ever seen. They're extraordinary. People talk about their talent and their ability to run. But they are incredible leaders. They understand the offense. They run complex offenses, probably more complex than we've ever run in in the past. And they really add such an element to the game and I think our game has changed because of their talents... and I think the game has changed on the college level, also to develop their talents earlier... and that's true for all quarterbacks. But I just think it's another example of where diversity makes you better," Goodell commented.
