Controversies about Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Richi Incognito and Aaron Hernandez reinforce a stereotype of professional athletes as a gang of outlaws hiding behind masks of money and fame. The frequency ESPN alerts our smartphones with reports of athlete misconduct is astonishing. Good reporters investigate whether these cases are isolated incidents or a reflection of a widespread problem. Bad reporters draw such conclusions without sufficient evidence. For example, during last season’s so-called bullying scandal involving Incognito, some reporters and TV hosts appeared desperate to prematurely declare that the incident revealed a widespread cultural problem within the Miami Dolphins.
The New York Times posted a story, “What the Numbers Show About N.F.L. Player Arrests.” The article points out USA Today keeps a database dating back to 2000 of arrests, charges, and citations of NFL players “for anything more serious than a traffic citation.” The writer addressed three conclusions that struck us:
- “The numbers show a league in which drunk-driving arrests are a continuing problem and domestic violence charges are surprisingly common.”
- “2014 is on track to have the fewest reported arrests since at least 2000.”
- “Thus over the nearly 15 years that the USA Today data goes back, the 713 arrests mean that 2.53 percent of players have had a serious run-in with the law in an average year. That may sound bad, but the arrest rate is lower than the national average for men in that age range.”
The NFL’s public relations strategy must not be one-dimensional. On one hand, the league must genuinely and in transparent fashion work to improve its problems and consider significant changes. On The Flip Side, the NFL should proactively address whether these incidents truly reflect the whole. The league should share personal stories of athletes improving society and their communities. Reiterate the good while addressing the bad. This approach is not whitewashing. This method helps place complex stories in proper context.
When the game is over, some reporters may still conclude athletes are little more than bodies of aggression and testosterone that spill into society. But at least provide that same society additional information to take into consideration.