This Week, a NFL Executive Won a Domestic Violence Award

Earlier this week, the University of Colorado's Center on Domestic Violence handed out its inaugural Champion for Change award and the recipient was Troy Vincent, executive vice-president of football operations for the NFL. Vincent has spoken openly and extensively about how he witnessed domestic violence in his home growing up, so it's not that he is undeserving. It's just, you know, he's a high-ranking executive for a league that has shown itself to be the champion for the status quo in domestic violence.

On Tuesday, two days before Vincent received his award, the New York Giants released kicker Josh Brown after weeks of controversy surrounding a May 2015 arrest for domestic violence and allegations of some 20 other instances in which he abused his wife, Molly. In August of 2014, after bungling the response to Ray Rice knocking out his then fiancee and dragging her unconscious body out of an Atlantic City elevator, the NFL formalized a new policy requiring a six game suspension, without pay, for "violations of the Personal Conduct Policy regarding assault, battery, domestic violence or sexual assault that involve physical force." In August, the NFL suspended Brown one game for the 2015 arrest.

When it was revealed that Brown not only abused his wife in that May 2015 incident but also admitted in writing to engaging in the systematic mental and physical abuse of his wife over the course of their relationship, the NFL (eventually) placed Brown on the Commissioner's Exempt list. In so doing, Brown was suspended indefinitely, with pay, and the Giants were granted a roster exemption so they would not have to cut him immediately.

At every step of the way, the NFL and the New York Giants worked to advance their own self-interest and engaged in damage control. Both the NFL and the Giants paid lip service to the issue of domestic violence while they covered themselves by saying they were going to continue to look at the newly released information which, again, was a written confession. In the meantime, John Mara and coach Ben McAdoo said they supported an admitted abuser.

In accepting the Champion for Change award, Vincent said, "Always humbling to be recognized for the work, but the real work, the real champions, the real heroes are the victims."