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New York • Acknowledging he "didn't get it right" with a two-game suspension for Ravens running back Ray Rice, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced tougher penalties for players accused of domestic violence, including six weeks for a first offense and at least a year for a second.
In a letter sent to all 32 team owners Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press, Goodell never mentions Rice by name but makes clear references to the Baltimore player who was charged with assault after being caught on video dragging his then-fiancee off a casino elevator.
"My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values," Goodell wrote. "I didn't get it right. Simply put, we have to do better. And we will."
Since January 2000, 77 players have been involved in 85 domestic violence incidents with six being cut by their teams, according to USA Today's NFL Arrests Database. The NFL suspended six players for one game each, and Rice was the second player to be suspended for two games.
Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy was convicted in July of assaulting his ex-girlfriend and has appealed for a jury trial set for November. His league punishment has not been announced. Goodell's letter doesn't state clearly how the league will handle pending cases and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email, "Each case will be addressed individually on its merits."
Outrage over Rice's punishment prompted three members of Congress to write to the commissioner asking him to reconsider Rice's suspension; the governor of Maine also threatened to boycott the league, and numerous groups that advocate for women and families condemned the penalty as too lenient.
The commissioner told teams to distribute his memo to all players and to post it in locker rooms. It reads in part: "Domestic violence and sexual assault are wrong. They are illegal. They are never acceptable and have no place in the NFL under any circumstances."
The memo says that violations of the league's personal conduct policy "regarding assault, battery, domestic violence and sexual assault that involve physical force will be subject to enhanced discipline."
The NFL Players Association said it had been informed of the increased punishments.
• Broncos • Peyton Manning has been docked a reported $8,268 for taunting Houston Texans safety D.J. Swearinger in a preseason game last week.
The Denver quarterback laid into the safety for hitting Wes Welker in the head, which left the slot receiver with his third concussion in 10 months.
The penalty was reported by ESPN. Manning told ESPN's Chris Mortensen: "I accept it. Money well spent."
• Browns • Wearing spandex leggings, a headband and working out a class of exercising women as if he were Richard Simmons. No, we've never seen Johnny Football like this.
He's Johnny JamBoogie.
Cleveland rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel channels his inner aerobics instructor in a new television commercial for Snickers, one of the products he endorses. In the 30-second spot set that debuted Thursday night, Manziel is teaching the class when a Cleveland player tells him he's not acting like himself.
Once he bites into the candy bar, he's back to being Manziel, wearing his No. 2 jersey.
Manziel said it was a "thrill" to star in the commercial and hopes "people have as much fun watching the ad as we did filming it."
Although the 21-year-old is Cleveland's backup, he's already one of the league's most popular players. —
Preseason scores
Thursday
• Atlanta 24, Jacksonville 14
• Detroit 23, Buffalo 0
• Cincinnati 35, Indianapolis 7
• Green Bay 34, K.C. 14
• Miami 14, St. Louis 13
• Philadelphia 37, N.Y. Jets 7
• N.Y. Giants 16, New England 13
• Carolina 10, Pittsburgh 0
• Washington 24, Tampa Bay 10
• Cleveland 33, Chicago 13
• Denver 27, Dallas 3
• San Francisco 40, Houston 13
• Baltimore 22, New Orleans 13
• Minnesota 19, Tennessee 3
• Seattle vs. Oakland, late
• Arizona vs. San Diego, late
—
Regular season
Sept. 4 • Green Bay at Seattle, 6:30 p.m., Ch. 5