NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was left emotional while speaking about the shooting at the league’s New York offices.
In his first appearance since the shooting, Goodell struggled to hold back tears while talking.
Roger Goodell was left emotional while discussing the shooting at NFL headquarters[/caption]
Four people were killed and one was injured in the shooting[/caption]
Thursday was meant to be one of the most exciting days of the season.
The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers met in the Hall of Fame Game to kick off the NFL preseason.
However, there was a different feeling this year, with sadness remaining from the senseless shooting in New York.
Goodell usually attends the Hall of Fame Game every season, but instead he stayed in New York to attend the funeral of Didarul Islam, the NYPD officer who was one of four people killed in the shooting.
“Tremendous loss,” Goodell said in an interview before the game.
“You see the officer’s family, his young children.
“It’s something that happens in the line of work for police officers but that never makes it easy.
“(He is) somebody who we see outside the building when we come in most every day and it hits home — the loss, the unnecessary and unexplainable loss.
“It’s something that all of us, as New Yorkers, feel great pride in the NYPD and what they do and all the first responders.
“So, it was a difficult, emotional afternoon, but also a tremendous, heartwarming service for him.”
Goodell also spent time in the hospital on Wednesday with Craig Clementi, the NFL employee who was injured in the attack.
The commissioner said he is “stable and improving.”
“We’re optimistic about his recovery and I think that’s good news for all of us in the NFL,” Goodell said.
“Obviously, our hearts continue to be in support with his family…
“I think it’s something that’s really hard for all of us to understand and deal with.”
NFL important dates 2025 season
March 12 – Free Agency begins
April 24-26 – NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin
September 4 – 2025 season opener (TBC vs Eagles)
November 27 – Thanksgiving Day triple header
January 4, 2026 – End of regular-season
February 8, 2026 – Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
On Monday, Shane Tamura opened fire on 345 Park Ave, killing four people and injuring another before he killed himself.
Authorities reportedly found a note on Tamura which claimed he had CTE and criticized the NFL for hiding the danger of football.
“It’s a difficult thing, particularly when you’re dealing with a senseless act like this,” Goodell said.
“There are no excuses for those senseless acts.
“They’re hard for all of us to understand when it inflicts pain on people you know and people you care about and people that we deal with on a daily basis. That’s particularly hard.”
