Roger Goodell Could Lose His Power To Discipline NFL Players

The NFL's recent history of handing down suspensions (and making them stick) isn't good. 

"A federal judge overturning [Tom] Brady's suspension that would've benched him for a quarter of a season," ABC reported in 2015.

"I got it wrong in the handling of the Ray Rice matter, and I'm sorry for that," Goodell said in 2014.

That's part of the reason NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could lose his disciplinary powers. 

The Wall Street Journal reports the NFL Players Association and league officials are "moving closer to a deal" that would strip Goodell of handing down disciplinary action. 

Currently, Goodell acts as the judge and jury on disciplinary matters. 

One new proposal, according to The Wall Street Journal, is having a three-arbitrator panel review cases and hand down punishments. 

In September, Goodell told ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike he'd be open to changing his role in disciplinary matters. 

"Yes, I am very open to changing my role. It's become extremely time-consuming. … We believe a discipline officer or some kind of panel … would be a better system," Goodell said. 

The Wall Street Journal report says no deal is imminent right now, and significant obstacles remain.

This video includes clips from the NFL Players Association and the U.S. Army, and images from Getty Images.