It’s been over two months since Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Irsay was also charged with four felony counts of possession of a controlled substance. You would think that by now the NFL would have handed a punishment down to him now that he has checked out of rehab. 

They haven’t. Yet.

In fact, it’s been business as usual for Irsay as he has returned to the Colts. He was involved in the team’s draft activities as well as at the owners meetings in Atlanta pitching the Colts’ home city for the Super Bowl LII bid (which was awarded to Minneapolis). It’s as if nothing ever happened two months ago.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that there is no timetable on a punishment for Irsay, adding “until we have more information, more facts, we will let it play out a little longer, yes.”

More facts? What more does Goodell need? What’s that supposed to mean?

Does it mean that owners in this league are held to a different standard than a player who was facing the same charges? A man gets pulled over with nearly $30,000 in prescription medicine that doesn’t even belong to him, not to mention has a history of substance abuse, and they need more information. Give me a goddamn break!

If the owners are being held to another standard,it needs to be higher one than the players are held to. Whenever they conduct themselves detrimentally to the league as Irsay has, they book should be thrown at them and thrown hard. If the NBA can ban an owner for life for saying racist comments, why isn’t an owner in the NFL being punished for his actions that, in fact, led too criminal charges? Not only was he charged with a felonious crime, but he could have hurt or killed somebody on the night he was arrested. 

Irsay’s punishment should have come down a long time ago. Maybe not when he was in rehab, but perhaps after his release. I don’t think he should have been involved with his team and their draft activities. He definitely should not have been in Atlanta. He should be suspended for a year. Look,I’m glad the guy is out of rehab and has learned his lesson, but he has yet to be off the hook for this. With law enforcement,with the justice system, with players in this league,and with fans like me. 

It’s disappointing when a commissioner of a league who’s been tough on players when their conduct is deemed detrimental to the league and their teams (even when no charges were filed) doesn’t take the same kind of action with the owners or executives.  If a punishment is coming, Mr. Goodell, it needs to come quick. We all know it and so do you!