Roger Goodell has had a hard time keeping his name out of the news this year -- and not in a good way. For that, the NFL commissioner has been named a finalist for the Time Person of the Year award.
Before you spit out your coffee, consider what the award is intended to accomplish. This isn't an award for the world's greatest person. Rather, it's a distinction given to the person who Time Magazine decides has been the most influential on the news in 2014.
And for that, Goodell certainly has a compelling case.
From the botched punishment of Ray Rice and larger oversights on handling domestic violence, to the startling trends of violence and law-breaking among NFL teams, to the ongoing concussion lawsuits that have painted an image of villainy for the NFL, Goodell has faced the heat in a highly public forum -- and, too many times, he has failed to properly respond.
Things got so bad for Goodell that, at one point, critics openly wondered whether he would be forced to resign his position.
At the moment, the NFL waters appear to have been relatively calmed, although Goodell's headaches are sure to continue into the future: A proposed settlement on the class-action concussion lawsuit filed by former players has yet to be officially resolved, and observers are still waiting to see how Goodell handles any further suspension for Adrian Peterson.
Meanwhile, the league's image remains sensitive to any other scandals that should break out in the near future. And Goodell has been the face of the action -- and too often, the face of an organization that many feel has too much power and not enough accountability.
When you consider all of that, Goodell certainly has the resume as one of 2014's most notable individuals.
Best, Worst NFL Team Arrest Rates
WORST: MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Adrian Peterson is the poster-child, but the Vikings have a genuinely systemic problem: Their 32 arrests in the past 10 years are tied for the league lead. As fans grow impatient with illegal activity among players, franchises like Minnesota's may feel the heat for their role.
WORST: DENVER BRONCOS
Tied with the Vikings is the Denver Broncos, which has had as many arrests since 2005 as the NFL has teams. Despite the well-known locker room presences of Tim Tebow and then Peyton Manning, Broncos players have a knack for finding trouble.
WORST: CINCINNATI BENGALS
With their recent streak of playoff appearances, you can't quite call them the Bungles. But that string of successes has come amid plenty of off-field problems: Cincinnati's NFL team has had 31 arrests since 2005.
WORST: TENNESSEE TITANS
Pacman Jones may be one of the team's most notorious criminal problems, but he's far from alone. In the past 10 years, a Titans player has been arrested 30 times.
WORST: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
It's fitting that a franchise that flies a pirate flag at games would be on the lesser end of the player-arrest spectrum. The Bucs have struggled with off-field problems in the last decade, tallying 26 arrests.
BEST: CAROLINA PANTHERS
Carolina is one of three teams with only nine arrests in 10 years. Only five of the NFL's 32 teams have averaged fewer than one arrest per year.
BEST: DALLAS COWBOYS
The Cowboys can't seem to put it all together and make a run at the Super Bowl, but their off-field distractions aren't a major detractor. The franchise has just nine arrests to its name since 2005.
BEST: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Maybe it's the steady leadership of coach Bill Belichick, who has always had a no-nonsense approach to being a team leader. If so, his system is working: the Patriots have the third-best mark in the league with only nine arrests in the past decade.
BEST: HOUSTON TEXANS
On the downside, rookie head coach Bill O'Brien inherited a team that went 2-14 last season. On the bright side, the locker room hasn't been crawling with bad influences. Houston has had only eight arrests in the past 10 years, the second-best mark in the NFL.
BEST: ARIZONA CARDINALS
That's right: The least criminally offensive NFL team can be found in Arizona. The Cardinals franchise can claim just seven arrests in the past 10 years.
