The NFL is Broken … and Here’s What it Needs to Do

ESPN.com today reported that since the Super Bowl on February 3, some 28 NFL players have been arrested, including two for felony homicide.

During the report, ESPN Commentator Chris Mortensen tempered the news by saying the NFL has some 3,000 players on active and non-active rosters, so this represents only 1 percent of all players involved in this type of behavior—not great, but certainly no cause for alarm.

Wait just a minute.

Fortune recently released its list of the World’s Most Admired Companies for 2013. Apple, as you might guess, was ranked No. 1. Let’s picture a fictional conference call with Wall Street, where CEO Tim Cook releases his mid-year earnings, adding some encouraging news at the end (tongue firmly in cheek): “And folks, we are pleased to report: Of our 50,250 employees, only 1 percent or 502 were arrested during the past six months, and just 33 for homicide.”

In what universe is it acceptable to have 1 percent of your company arrested in six months, unless perhaps you are running a traveling carnival? Even then. Ask yourself: How many places have you worked where a co-worker was arrested or accused of murder? Why does no one at NFL or the player’s union seem to be overly concerned? After all, project this to a full year and it’s 2 percent. Over the course of a decade, hundreds of players could be behind bars.

The bottom line: The NFL has a culture problem. Yes there are men of great character playing on the field today, don’t get me wrong. But it’s also a work place where thugs are too often tolerated if they can block, tackle or run. And by the way, it’s also a place where people retire and often end up bankrupt, in jail, or suicidal.

Who’s to blame?

First, the NFL and the players union need to address this culture issue, and fast. Second, we the fans need to help. I’m a big fan. But let’s ask ourselves this: Would we buy from a company where 1 percent of employees were arrested every six months, or where many retirees ended up with such severe personal issues?

Here are three suggestions for the NFL from our experience counseling with leaders of the corporate world:

Hire character even before talent. One NFL coach was once quoted, after watching a player’s amazing game tape, "I don't care what they said he did; he didn't do it. Let's sign him." I would argue it’s time to go old-school. All contracts should have morality clauses, including those of coaches and front-office personnel. If players are convicted of crimes they should be cut and even lose retirement benefits and face a full-year suspension from the league. If coaches and front office personnel hire the wrong players who end up in jail, those executives should face consequences too; for instance, how about if three players in a given season are convicted of crimes, the team should lose a draft pick and coaching and front office compensation should be impacted.

Create a culture of integrity. The NFL does background checks, but it’s often too late to change a young man’s destiny by then. The NFL needs to create a culture of integrity where only the best in talent and character thrive. My argument: Any draft pick who has ever been arrested should be exempt from being chosen in the first three rounds, and their contracts should be incentive-based only for the first three years, with no guaranteed money. Let kids know from high school on, that if you want to play in the world’s most prestigious league, you have to stay out of trouble. Period. Then, when young men get to the NFL, give them a mentor—a veteran player who, as part of his salary, needs to keep his protégée on the right path.

Recognize the Best. Players that have clean records need to be recognized as much as those who throw the most touchdowns or get the most sacks. My last argument: For every year a player is crime and drug free, and spends a certain number of hours serving in the community, he should get a salary bonus and added donations to his pension fund.

This is a defining moment for the NFL and its players. The question is this: Do you want to remain one of the most admired sports leagues? The corporate world is littered with the remains of organizations that failed to heed the writing on the wall.

As we’ve found in our consulting work: It’s not a lack of intelligence that sinks organizations, it’s arrogance.

How the NFL reacts to these numbers will tell us all what they really value. As a fan I hope they do the right thing.

Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images