The Cover Girl Game Face Ad Becomes A Statement to the NFL

September 15, 2014
|In Women, NFL
|By Paul Marin
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The Cover Girl Game Face Ad Take On New Meaning

Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL are confronting increased public criticism in the aftermath of the Ray Rice domestic violence scandal. Detractors and women’s groups are accusing the league of turning a blind eye to player misconduct and domestic violence. In a video that aired on TMZ on September 8, Ray Rice knocks out his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, in an elevator in Atlantic City with a punch. Naturally, Accordingly, the police and the NFL investigated the assault. In this case, the Ravens ultimately suspended Rice for only two games. Commissioner Goddell tried to move on. Then the full video of the fight aired on TMZ. Now the NFL is being accused of covering up evidence to protect a star player. In protest of the NFL’s inaction, a Cover Girl “Get Your Game On” ad for the NFL was photoshopped to depict the Ravens’ model with a black eye.

Both the Cover Girl doctored image and the hashtag #Goodellmustgo went viral on social media over the weekend.

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Image: The original Cover Girl NFL ad.

Cover Girl in the Middle of NFL Scandal

There is no room for domestic violence against women in professional sports. An now a Cover Girl ad for the NFL is in the middle of a scandal. Looking the other way in such a high-profile case of violence against a woman could destroy the league’s appeal to fans. For a refresher on what happened, SB Nation created a comprehensive timeline of the Rice scandal. In February, news broke that Baltimore Ravens RB Ray Rice got into a fight at a casino in Atlantic City. The details were not clear. Rice’s attorney described the incident as a “minor physical altercation.”

The “minor physical altercation” was more serious than reported. Footage showed a man (allegedly Rice) dragging Palmer’s limp body from an elevator by her shoulders. It was reported Atlantic City police have obtained video that showed Rice had knocked Palmer unconscious. Goodell made his first public comments about the Rice incident in March. He was non-committal about disciplining Rice. Goodell, Ravens executives and, Ray and Janay Rice meet in July to discuss the incident and potential punishment. Janay Rice plead for leniency and the NFL suspended her husband for only two games. With the public outcry growing against the NFL, Goodell announces a new zero-tolerance policy for domestic violence league-wide.

There was growing media speculation that a second more graphic video exists and the league received the footage in July. On September 8, TMZ airs a second video of the Rice fight from inside the elevator. Rice punched his girlfriend, who fell unconscious. He then dragged her limp body out the elevator. Under pressure, the NFL announced an “independent investigation” of the Rice elevator video and suspension ruling. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller will lead the investigation.

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