With Browns owner Jimmy Haslam standing yards away in a Pilot Flying J button-down shirt, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stood on the Browns practice at the start of practice and pledged his support for Haslam in the wake of his rebate fraud scandal. "Jimmy Haslam is a man of great integrity,'' said Goodell, who was here for a USA Heads Up Football clinic. "We're proud to have him as an owner in the NFL and think he's going to be a great owner for the Cleveland Browns and their fans here. He's as disappointed as anybody in what happened at Pilot J and he's working hard to fix it and correct those issues, both from a structural standpoint and to make amends. He's kept me very much involved. I think ... as he tells me I was one of his first calls to inform me what was happening after he learned about it and he's been great at keeping us informed.'' Goodell said Haslam's fellow owners still view him favorably. It was one year ago tomorrow that Haslam reached an agreement to purchase the Browns from Randy Lerner for $1 billion. "You never want to see this kind of thing happen, particularly to a partner in the league,'' said Goodell, who spoke to Haslam inside the Browns' facility. "So obviously his partners care a great deal about him and as a partner they want to see him getting off to a good start. This is not what anybody intended, not (what) anybody anticipated, but he’s a man that I think everyone truly respects in the NFL. Goodell said Haslam assured him he knew nothing of Pilot Flying J's widespread practice of cheating trucking companies out of fuel rebates. Seven Pilot employees have already pleaded guilty, and some have told federal authorities that high-level employees knew of the scheme. "Yes, absolutely,'' said Goodell in a seven-minute press conference. "He's been very clear that he’s had no knowledge of that and he’s been clear publicly and clear with you all.'' Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
& Rodgers would have bet a years salary on Braun... Best not put yourself out there till all the dust settles, Rog.
