National Organization for Women calls for Roger Goodell to resign

The National Organization for Women has called for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's resignation over the NFL's domestic violence issues.

The National Organization for Women has called for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's resignation over the NFL's domestic violence issues, NOW announced Wednesday.

While NOW cited Goodell's handling of the Ray Rice case, the group said Goodell should step down because of what it calls the league's larger violence against women problem.

The organization referred to Goodell's waiting to punish the 49ers' Ray McDonald and the Panthers' Greg Hardy until their respective domestic violence cases are resolved, as well as his silence on the accusation that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sexually assaulted a woman in 2009.

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NOW also called for an independent investigator to examine the NFL's violence against women issues and to recommend reforms based on what he or she finds.

Goodell and the NFL have come under fire for the handling of Rice, who was initially suspended two games for a domestic violence incident involving his then-fiancée and now-wife, Janay Palmer.

Afternew video was revealed Monday showing Rice punching Palmer, the Baltimore Ravensreleased Rice and the NFL suspended him indefinitely, but critics have questioned why it took until the public release of the new video for the actions to be taken. Goodell said Tuesday night the NFL had requested, but never seen, the new video. On Thursday, the Associated Press reported a law enforcement official sent an NFL executive the tape in April.

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Goodell also said he didn't feel he should step down as commissioner. Earlier Tuesday, U.S. Senator Hedi Heitkamp said Goodell should "consider [resigning] seriously."

- Ben Estes