The Fourth of July holiday is the biggest weekend of summer, and as we get ready to stroll around the pool to celebrate, the NFL sometimes likes to sneak up on some not-so-fun news.
Of course, Friday news dumps are nothing new and extend far beyond the sports world. Basically, it’s a tactic to drop news — mostly negative news — during a time when you’re seeing as few eyeballs as possible, minimizing its impact. This is why Friday afternoons are specifically targeted as people largely separate into the weekend. By the time the world returns to work on Monday, that’s old news.
The NFL is not only aware of this maneuver, but they aren’t afraid to publicize it, especially during the Fourth of July holiday. This time of year is seen as the ultimate time to get rid of the news considering everyone is traveling and/or away from the news for the long weekend.
To highlight even more how often the NFL uses this place on the calendar to drop news, here’s a quick summary of some of the most important dumps of the past few years.
Naturally, this got us thinking about the coming days and what the NFL might have in store for us.
While there may be many coins the league may try to get past, the biggest that can loom are Judgment in the Deshaun Watson case. This week, the league’s jointly designated discipline officer, Sue L. Robinson, was leading a hearing detailing the NFL’s year-long investigation of Watson, who was facing as many as 24 sexual misconduct lawsuits from massage therapists. Watson Secretly settled with 20 womenbut the NFL Paid for indefinite suspension That would last at least one full season.
Given that the hearing ended on Thursday, According to CBS Sports Captain Jonathan Jones, an insider NFL captainIt wouldn’t be surprising to see this drop just before the weekend (or even during). However, the decision in this case may be elusive. ESPN Reports The submissions are due after the hearing the week of July 11, suggesting we may not know the verdict until around this date.
Another story that could be on the radar that falls into this category surrounds owner Commander Daniel Snyder. he has call refused To appear before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, which is currently investigating the organization and the NFL’s handling of allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct. While the committee may not get away with the news, it would be curious to know if there’s anything the NFL, Snyder or the Leaders Organization says/announces during this stretch.
Then, of course, there is a random nugget that no one expects. The lesson in all of this? Keep your head on the NFL news spinner as you cook on the grill this weekend.
