The NFL: Where Character Doesn't Count

When I was covering the Patriots in 2005, Ted Johnson, the hard-nosed linebacker once told me, "NFL teams are talent junkies. If Charles Manson could run a 4.3 40, somebody would sign him and figure out a way of bringing him in here." 

Johnson was exaggerating, of course, but his point was crystal clear: If you have great talent, teams will look past the character issues.

This was driven home this past week when the Patriots traded for Albert Haynesworth, a man blessed with freak-like size and strength. As for character? Well, let's just say there was a good chance God was updating his Facebook status when it came time to hand it to Haynesworth.

At one time, the Patriots wouldn't draft, trade for, or sign a player who so much as threatened to talk back to his mother during any time in his life. Robert Kraft prided himself on bringing in players of good moral fiber. Besides winning championships, the "Patriots Way" wreaked of a holier-than-thou, we-can-win-with-class attitude.

But now, with a need to improve a non-existent pass rush and the pressure of trying to fend off the Jets, the Patriots trade for Haynesworth. It was a low-risk, high reward trade. If Haynesworth so much as looks the wrong way at Bill Belichick, he will be released, no questions asked.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has tried hard to rid the league of players like Haynesworth, who has a track record as bad as Lindsay Lohan and Randy Moss combined. But you see, Haynesworth has the kind of talent NFL coaches sell their souls for and drool over. Every coach thinks he's a Dr. Phil when it comes to rehabbing a player and his bad image. Just as long as that guy records 15 sacks, 10 interceptions, or can bust a punt return 89-yard to decide the game, he can have a spot on the team.

As for those personal re-hab sessions? Oh, yeah, can I get back to you on that, I have to watch some more film.

Isn't that what happened with Pac-Man Jones? The guy has enormous talent, but a ten-cent head. He's been arrested six times. Yet, he still finds work because he's a game-changer. After the Dallas Cowboys signed him they even provided Pac-Man his own bodyguard to keep him out of trouble.

What happened? Pac-Man got into a fight with the bodyguard. Good bye, Dallas. Oh, but Cincinnati had to upgrade their speed and depth in the secondary, so they opened their checkbooks, closed the reports on his bad behavior and signed Pac-Man to a fat contract. Incidentally, he got arrested again last month.

Dante Stallworth gets drunk, kills a man with his car, goes to jail for 24 days, then is free to play football again. Except that Goodell did the right thing and banned him for a year. After that was up, Stallworth said hello, Baltimore, signing a multi-million dollar contract with the Ravens because he can separate from defensive backs and catch the ball in traffic.

If you, me, or Johnnie Bravo got arrested or killed someone, we'd never get another job. That's how it works with companies today. Character counts. But in the NFL, if you can score touchdowns, record sacks, or bust a wedge, employers will smile, slap you on the back, and look past those four arrests on your record.

Goodell can try as hard as he has to clean up the image of the league, but seriously, it matters little. Coaches are under enormous pressure to win. Winning means bigger contracts, increased merchandise sales, better ratings, and more expensive luxury boxes.

The NFL is what it is. It's a league where only the biggest, strongest, and fastest survive. Usually the teams with the most talent are in the mix when it comes to championships.

Character? Please. The NFL is not fooling anyone. As for the Jets, they might've lost out on Charles Manson, but they did sign former convict felon Plaxico Burress to be one of their wide-receivers. Character? Forget about that. Because Burress can score touchdowns, nothing else really matters.