This footage of Roger Goodell laughing hysterically is not lost footage of the NFL commissioner watching George Carlin’s brilliant “Euphemisms” comedy routine in 1990 at The Chuckle Hut. This was from Tuesday night at the National Football Foundation awards banquet where he was uncontrollably chortling at a joke about concussions. Yes, concussions. The same concussions that his former players have suffered through for at least the last 20 years. The same concussions that are the plot for an entire Hollywood movie featuring Will Smith titled “Concussion,” and is hitting theaters in two weeks. The same concussions that prompted ex-players to sue the league because they were dropping dead at 45-years-old and had an unbelievable suicide rate. The same concussions that the NFL had to pay out $765 million to former players for suffering through Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach made a concussion-related joke during his speech at the banquet.
“I had a chance to sit next to the commissioner of football, Pete Rozelle, tonight,” Staubach said before a someone came up to the stage to correct him. “Oh, excuse me, Roger Goodell,” he continued. “I apologize. I had six concussions in the NFL.”
Goodell was seen laughing his ass off after Staubach delivered the wisecrack.
The worst part is that Goodell knew about it beforehand and even approved the ill-timed one-timer.
“I told Roger I was going to tell that corny joke and he approved it,” Staubach said.
I’m not trying to be the “I’m offended” douche that gets offended by everything just to be offended, but the context of this quip couldn’t have been much worse. I’m not blaming Roger Goodell for the concussions, they started way before he was ever commissioner of the National Football League. I’m just saying it doesn’t make Goodell look empathetic to the scores of poor football players who have suffered immensely after their playing days are over due to brain injuries.
Once again, Roger Goodell proves that he doesn’t have one ounce of self-awareness or a fucking clue on how to not be hateable.
[TBL]