NFL commissioner Roger Goodell testified on Wednesday at a congressional hearing related to the investigation into alleged workplace misconduct with the Washington Commanders. He was asked a series of questions about the inner workings of the NFL, but one inquiry seemed to really take Goodell by surprise.
Rep. Jim Jordan asked Goodell why the NFL banned Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy from attending league events. Goodell said he is “not familiar with that issue,” which Jordan said he cannot believe. You can see a video of the exchange below:
Jordan prefaced the question by asking if Goodell believes in the First Amendment. He also mentioned how Portnoy interviewed former President Donald Trump at the White House, yet the NFL won’t allow Portnoy into events like the Super Bowl.
Of course, Jordan was clearly trying to go viral. That was evident when he tweeted the video and tagged Portnoy and Barstool Sports. If creating a viral moment was the goal, Jordan succeeded.
It is impossible to believe that Goodell is unaware of Portnoy’s ban. The two have a long history. Portnoy and other personalities were arrested outside NFL headquarters in 2015 for protesting Tom Brady’s Deflategate suspension. Portnoy was handcuffed and kicked out of the Super Bowl in 2019.
More recently, Portnoy was the highest bidder on a charity auction prize that was supposed to result in him being able to watch an NFL game with Goodell. The NFL blocked the meeting, to no one’s surprise.
Goodell may not understand why he was asked about Portnoy on Wednesday, but he is undoubtedly familiar with the situation.
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