PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s why NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell makes $60 million, to make the tough decisions. A former GM and front office employee in the NFL, Doug Whaley tells the Fan Morning Show what he would do.
Resume only the Bengals and Bills this week and move every other game to next weekend.
“If I was him, I would probably say because of the importance of this game and how it affects everything in the post season, especially the first-round bye and the number one seed, I would play it this week and call off all other games,” Whaley said during his weekly segment on The Fan Morning Show. “Push those other games to Week 19 and then you start the playoffs. You don’t have that week in-between the conference championship and the Super Bowl.”
“That way everybody gets a fair shake of playing the equal amount of games. And the deciding factor of who gets the number one seed in the AFC is on the field and is not just on winning percentages. Winning percentages are going to be skewed if you have one less game and the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals would have one less game.”
Whaley acknowledges there is not an easy decision. As of Wednesday, the Steelers were preparing to play the Browns with still the potential to make the playoffs.
"I don't think it should be tough, but everybody is going to be thinking about that kid & what happened,” said Steelers Captain Cam Heyward on focusing on the game. “Right now, I can only continue to do my job & I think guys are going to do that, but definitely thinking about that kid."
If everybody is thinking about that kid, how must his Bills teammates feel? They now have to prepare for a new, albeit in division, opponent. The three-way scenario for the Steelers to make the playoffs includes Buffalo beating New England. The Bills have clinched the playoffs, but still would be playing for a number one seed. But where would their minds be? Would they be into playing a game six days after their teammate had to be brought back to life on the field?
One way Whaley thinks you can help the players move forward is providing professional help for all.
“I would have everybody in the organization-players, everybody from people that trim the grass all the way to the GM have a mandatory mental health session,” Whaley said on 93.7 The Fan. “At least once a day or at least two times before you get back on the field.”
“You would have to gauge the pulse of that team because one of those things that are going to happen-what is their mentality, what is their psyche when they put on those pads the next time? You don’t know. Everybody is going to be different. Everybody deals with tragedy in a different way.”
“I think you have to mandate some type of mental care to gauge each player. You may not be able to get everybody back at the same time. Some people may take longer. You are going to have a truncated practice week and I think you really have to mold it around not what you think is best to win the game. It’s what you think is best for the players.”
In Whaley’s framework, there could be key players who opt-out of being in the game Sunday. Does the NFL see how the Bills, and the Bengals as well, are recovering and potentially make a late decision if many players don’t want to go? Would players feel the pressure to play even if they know they aren’t ready with a potential first-round bye on the line? Could it be the best thing to just get back out and play?
You won’t win no matter what is decided. The league will upset someone and their answer to the situation may appear cold and callus to players feelings. It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry influenced by many outside sources, but played by human beings.
There isn’t a right answer, but Goodell will have to make a call regardless.
“It’s a monumental task no matter how they fix this or what they decide,” Whaley said.
Good luck Roger.