Goodell's Player Policy Could Include Lifetime Bans

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's to-be-unveiled player conduct policy might allow him to issue lifetime bans for players involved in serious criminal activity, according to a published report.

NFL Players' Association executive director Gene Upshaw, who was briefed on Goodell's policy, told The Washington Post, however, that Adam "Pacman" Jones and Chris Henry are not facing lifetime punishments. Jones and Henry met with the commissioner Tuesday in New York.

"None of these cases we're talking about will be a permanent ban," Upshaw told The Post in a telephone interview. "I don't think we're at that point yet with these cases. We understand there will be some type of suspension, but not that."

Upshaw and six players met with Goodell on Tuesday. The commissioner briefed the panel on several issues, including the conduct policy, but Upshaw told The Post that Goodell didn't brief the panel specifically on Jones' or Henry's situations. Upshaw and the players left before Goodell's meetings with Henry and Jones.

Upshaw told The Post that under the new policy, a first-time offender would have to undergo counseling and be placed on probation and might be fined. A second-time offender might face suspension if his infraction was considered severe.

"One thing was clear: Once a player has gotten himself into this fix, it's going to be up to him to get himself out," Upshaw told The Post.

Goodell has said he will announce his decision on suspensions or other disciplinary action for Jones and Henry before the draft on April 28 and perhaps in the next 10 days.

The NFL had no comment and lawyers for the players had no immediate response. The meeting with the players was held away from the NFL offices where six television cameras stationed themselves with no one to interview.

Henry is one of nine Bengals who were arrested last season, leading to calls for a crackdown on player behavior. But Jones has become the focus for Goodell, who took over as commissioner in September and has been preoccupied by the issue almost from the start of his tenure.

Since being drafted in April 2005, Jones has been arrested five times and questioned by police in 10 episodes. Last week, Las Vegas police recommended he be charged with a felony and two misdemeanors for his role in a Feb. 19 strip club fight that led to a triple shooting.