Sorry, Roger Goodell. Time won’t heal these wounds.
Despite the New England Patriots making their third Super Bowl appearance in four years, fans remain salty about the NFL commissioner’s handling of the Deflategate controversy and other issues.
"It’s time for a change," said Mike Kelley, a Patriots fan who travelled to Minnesota from Virginia for Super Bowl LII. "It’s so much negativity for such a great game.
"Deflategate was obviously a joke, based on basic science. It wasn’t about what was right, it was about who was right and the story became about him."
Under Goodell’s watch, the league suspended Tom Brady for four games and slapped the Patriots with penalties for allegedly using under-inflated footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship Game.
"I don’t like the guy," said Greg Aselbekian, who travelled to Minnesota from Boston. "He’ll punish a guy for doing something very minor, but he’ll let somebody with domestic violence or a dirty player like (Miami Dolphins tackle Ndamukong Suh) continue to walk and play the game."
Goodell has come under fire for a host of issues, including the NFL’s handling of domestic violence cases and the controversy surrounding players kneeling during the national anthem.
"Every single thing he gets to his table it always seems to be done wrong," said Plymouth, Massachusetts, resident Scott Morse, 31. "Still want to see him gone."
However, some fans have relented slightly.
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"The Patriots were able to come back and prove him wrong," said Phil LaRoche, 55, of Minnesota. "I guess (negative feelings) have worn off for myself."
Brian Morse, 58, who travelled from Plymouth with his son, had a different take.
"If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying," he said.
The Patriots face the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m.
