NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Meets with Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton To Discuss Stadium Issue

 

Just days after the Minnesota legislature rejected the proposed $975 million stadium plan in committee, Roger Goodell and Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney met with Gov. Mark Dayton and other lawmakers. After the meeting, Goodell said:

There were no implied threats or any threats at all. What we talked about is the importance of creating a solution….

I think the legislative leaders and the governor understand the time is now.

Here’s 4 reasons why Goodell’s non-threat is a threat

1. The top dog of the NFL makes a special trip to meet with the top dog of the state of Minnesota days after a state legislature committee rejects a plan to build a new stadium. Just a friendly ‘how y’all doing’ visit? Don’t think so.
2. Lawmakers interviewed after the meeting said Goodell made it clear that the time to act is now. This was summed up by Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers who said, “This is a two-minute drill and things will have to be moving a bit more quickly.”
3. Though Goodell never threatened that he would move the team to Los Angeles, references to the the city were brought up in the meeting. Basically the fact that the NFL and the city of L.A. want a franchise team there. And oh, by the way, the Vikings contractual obligations to the city of Minneapolis will be up in 2013.
4. It is rumored that the private jet of Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf was spotted in Southern California today

So if it acts like a threat (special trip to Minnesota) and sounds like a threat (yes, L.A. is an option for the team) it’s a threat.