NEW YORK (AP) -- Roger Goodell cracked down Tuesday on the player misconduct that's plagued his first seven months as NFL commissioner, suspending Tennessee's Adam "Pacman" Jones for the 2007 season and Cincinnati's Chris Henry for eight games.
"It is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right," Goodell said in a statement announcing the suspensions. "These players and all members of our league have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent basis."
Jones' off-field conduct has included 10 incidents where he was interviewed by police. The most recent took place during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Police there recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club paralyzed one man.
Henry was arrested four times in a 14-month span, resulting in two benchings by coach Marvin Lewis and a two-game league suspension. He was one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months.
Goodell handed down the suspensions under the NFL's existing conduct policy and also announced a new broader policy that will allow longer fines and suspensions for players and potential penalties against teams.
The Titans and Bengals said they supported the suspensions.
"While we regret the circumstances that called for it, it's good for both Chris and the Bengals to have the matter resolved," Lewis said. "Our team will move forward, and now it is up to Chris to acquire a more mature understanding of his responsibilities as a player for the Bengals and a representative of the NFL."
Jones' attorney, Manny Arora, was in a meeting and did not immediately return a message left by the Associated Press.
Goodell, who replaced the retired Paul Tagliabue last September, has spent much of his first season answering questions about the arrests of players, including nine Bengals. Last December, he called Mike Brown, president of the Cincinnati team, and asked if he could do anything to help.
Goodell and Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, met with a group of players in February and again last week and agreed the league needed a stronger disciplinary policy.
"It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches and staff," Goodell said in announcing the new policy, which has the strong support of Upshaw and the union.
Players agreed.
"You would think it's necessary just because of the negative publicity the NFL is beginning to receive because of what's happening," said Henry's teammate, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, one of the players at the February meeting. "It was going on for an extended period of time. Each day, each week, something was happening."
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Stupid fucking idiot. This suspension could mean roughly $3.1 million in lost wages. Once your ghetto, always ghetto.
Bet he won't be in any strip clubs at 4 a.m. making it rain without the cash........But then again, he needs to be put on a deathwatch....Bet he gets whacked by November with all of that time on his hands....
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