Ryan Clark: Present Lack of Jim Irsay Punishment "Shows Hypocrisy" of Roger Goodell and the NFL

Ryan Clark went on ESPN’s First Take today. The current Redskins and former Steelers safety discussed Jim Irsay, and the fact that, as covered in-depth last week, Roger Goodell has yet to discipline him yet for his March arrest on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and illegal possession of prescription painkillers. “There have been no charges,” Goodell said yesterday in explaining why he is waiting to punish the Colts owner. “Until we have more information and more facts we will let it play out.”

Clark brought up that he was teammates with Ben Roethlisberger when the Steelers quarterback got suspended after being accused of sexual assault, but was not charged. “There would be no questions asked if this was a player,” Clark said of Irsay. “Roger Goodell, we have to remember, works for the owners. The $40+ million he got was from the owners — it was part of a bonus.”

“If Jim Irsay is going to represent this league and represent the Indianapolis Colts,” Clark continued. “Going on TV and at the owners meetings trying to bring a Super Bowl to Indianapolis, after what he’s done, it shows the hypocrisy of the NFL, and also Roger Goodell and the way that he deals with players and deals with the people he works for. He’s always said, ‘I don’t work for the owners’. Well, that’s not true, because in the CBA negotiations, you were sitting with the owners.”