1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: It's time to get inside the Giants Huddle on Giants 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:09,479 Speaker 1: dot Com. On the Giants part of the Giants Podcast Network. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Giants Huttle podcast, brought to you by 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: ps E n G Energy Efficiency for game time or anytime. 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: I'm Bob Papa in London. We are joined by the 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: Commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell. First International 7 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: Series game today, the first time the Packers are playing 8 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: internationally and you can't get a ticket. How good is that? 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: It's great? But I'll tell you these fans here have 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: been extraordinary. Um, they're so passionate, uh and they love 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: the game. We see fans coming from all over Europe 12 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: as well as coming over from the States, and it's 13 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: just been a real lift to our international efforts here. 14 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: You know. It's interesting because the Giants played here in 15 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: oh seven than in two thousand and sixteen. So there's 16 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: a pub downtown which became like Giants House, and we 17 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: did a Q and A yesterday and there were more 18 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: fans there from and Mark, Germany and France then the 19 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: war from the United States. In fact, one of the 20 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: fans blew through the questions. They win an autographed Eli 21 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: Manning Jersey talk about how this game has grown not 22 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: only here in London, but truly around the globe. It 23 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: really has, Bob and the thing that I noticed the 24 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,839 Speaker 1: most is when we first started coming over here to play, 25 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: they really didn't understand the game is deeply obviously. They 26 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: now are very sophisticated fans. You'll you'll notice they react 27 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: at the right time, they boo at the right time. 28 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: I mean, they really understand the game and they understand 29 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: the strategy, and that to me is a real sign 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: of progress that we're not just a circus coming in out. 31 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: We're really a sport here that people love and you 32 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: can see it around. People are coming from all over Europe. 33 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: People are anxious to have games and other spots around Europe. 34 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna be playing in Munich in another month and 35 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: that will be our first regular season game there and 36 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: we can't wait. The anticipation and frankly, the excitement for 37 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: it's been overwhelming. Yeah, NFL Europe. You know, spent so 38 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: many years in Germany, so it kind of laid the 39 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: groundwork and now you know, fourteen years later, those fans 40 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: understand this sport. Because it's not the easiest sport to understand. No, 41 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: they don't. We had a fan form yesterday and you 42 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: know we were talking about that we have a few 43 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: of the former players. But I think that's also the 44 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: beauty of our game is that our game isn't just simple. 45 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:26,239 Speaker 1: I think there's a lot of strategy to it. There's 46 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: a there's a lot of elements to our game. That 47 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: is why I believe it's going to be an incredibly 48 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: popular sport on a global basis. Obviously, the season is 49 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: off to a tremendous start. I mean every game is 50 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: a nail botter. Last week in this building, it came 51 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: down to a sixty four yard kick that could have 52 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: won the game for the New Orleans Saints. Why has 53 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: this league been able to capture that drama? And it 54 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: seems to be getting better each and every year. Yeah, Bob, 55 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: to your point, I don't think the league has ever 56 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: been as competitive. This is now my fort year season. 57 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: I think the league is more competitive than ever. It's 58 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: a tribute to the players and the coaches and the clubs. Uh. 59 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: And I also think just the structure of the league, obviously, 60 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: not only the way we share revenue, but the way 61 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: we work with our players Association on the salary camp. 62 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: All of that combines to sort of to make this 63 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 1: in a league where you can go from last to 64 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: first and first to last. And I think that's great 65 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: for fans because they always have that hope coming into 66 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: the season. But more importantly, you're seeing these games come 67 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 1: down right to the wire because of these great performers. 68 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: And you can't ever turn it off because I'll tell 69 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: you a team can come back, and we've seen it 70 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: so many times. I mean the team playing here next week, 71 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: the Jacksonville Jaguars. You can make the case through the 72 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: first four weeks of the season despite the fact that 73 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: there are two and two, they've played the best football 74 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: out of that division. There's no question. And you know, 75 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: and and and Lawrence is coming around. Doug Peterson is 76 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: a Super Bowl winning coach, They spent some money on 77 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: their team. You got everybody you know with an opportunity here. 78 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: And I think that's in the beauty of the league today, 79 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: is that we've worked hard to make sure every team 80 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: has the opportunity to win. And you know, it's not 81 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: easy in this league, as we all know, and every 82 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: game is a nail bider. And I always say that 83 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: you know that they're saying you. You know, every day 84 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: you've got to be ready to play, and you're gonna 85 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: if you don't show up, you can lose. And so 86 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: any given Sunday, and this is us, this is where 87 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 1: we are really. Since you took over as commissioner of 88 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,919 Speaker 1: the National Football League, player safety has always been first 89 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: and foremost in the initiatives that you've tried. And obviously 90 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: it's always a work in progress. And I know that 91 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: you in the NFL p A you continue to look 92 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: at this concussion protocol and you guys have made some 93 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: decisions on how to move forward and try to make 94 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: sure that it's better and better and better. It can 95 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: never be perfect, because it's because it's an imperfect science. 96 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: But just talk a little bit about that constant evolving 97 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: of that. Well, I think the most important thing is 98 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: to put our medical professionals um that include our team 99 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: physicians as well as league physicians and and also independent 100 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: neurologists in particular, and and put them in the best 101 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: position to make the best medical decisions. That's that's our job. 102 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: And let the medical professionals do that. And I believe 103 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: the medical care that our players are getting now is extraordinary, 104 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: but we always want to get better and as medical 105 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: advances occur, we need to adapt make sure our protocols adapt, 106 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: so that's what we work on. We've had several additions 107 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: to the protocol and changes to the protocol based on 108 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: what our medical advisors had suggested. And we really think 109 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: that our protocols, which are being used all over sports 110 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: and beyond sports, even in the military, because we do 111 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: keep them to the highest standard and so belliar safety 112 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: is always going to be our number one goal and 113 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: I'm proud of what we've done, but we're always going 114 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: to work to get better at it. It's sort of 115 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: like the cb A. It's a living breathing constantly evolving. 116 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,679 Speaker 1: It's not once you signed it that's it. It's always 117 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: got to be changed. Were we really believe strongly and 118 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: then I think that goes not only in the players 119 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,279 Speaker 1: safety and with our collective bargain agreement, and it's with 120 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: everything we do in the NFL is how do we 121 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 1: get better? Mention, We appreciate a couple of minutes. It's 122 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: always good to be with your Commissioner, Roger Goodell taking 123 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: a couple of minutes to join us here in London. 124 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: That's the Giants Huddle podcast thanks to commission Roger Goodell. 125 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 1: I'm Bob Papa. We'll see you next time.