NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed confidence on Wednesday regarding the security arrangements for the upcoming game between the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers, scheduled to take place in Paris this Sunday amid ongoing civil unrest in France.
Speaking at the conclusion of the NFL’s annual fall owners meeting, Goodell said he had consulted with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and maintained communication with both Parisian and French government officials to ensure the safety of players and fans. He acknowledged that protests are a common occurrence in France but emphasized that the league has taken appropriate precautions to address the situation.
Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis, speaking from Versailles, confirmed that the team’s plans remain unchanged despite the civil unrest. The Saints arrived in France on Monday after their game against the New York Giants, while the Steelers are expected to travel to Paris on Thursday night. Loomis reiterated that the team continues to monitor developments and is committed to being respectful guests during their stay.
New Orleans safety Justin Reid echoed this sentiment, stating that players are not concerned about the unrest while preparing for the game.
Goodell also addressed questions regarding the attendance of New York Giants executive Steve Tisch and San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York at the two-day owners meeting. Tisch, who remains executive vice president and chairman of the Giants’ board following a transfer of ownership stakes within his family, has come under scrutiny due to references to his name in documents related to Jeffrey Epstein released earlier this year. Goodell said the league has conducted a thorough review and currently sees no issue with Tisch’s role, though he noted that the investigation will continue if new information arises.
Tisch acknowledged knowing Epstein but denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island.
York, who returned to the owners meetings following a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, was arrested in an Ohio prostitution sting in August and entered no contest pleas to two misdemeanors. Goodell described the league’s response as a comprehensive disciplinary process and said it was now completed, allowing York to resume his official duties with the 49ers.
“We went through a full process, obviously, to understand the facts, to understand the issues,” Goodell said. “We looked at it under the context of our personal conduct policy, which applies to owners, commissioners, everybody else, players. And it’s something we feel strongly about. I think we need to represent ourselves and our organizations properly. We saw a violation, and we’ve dealt with it from a discipline standpoint. That’s concluded now, and so he’ll be back representing the 49ers.”