Ryan Clark toning down his comments toward the league

Ryan Clark toning down his comments toward the league
Posted by Josh Alper on August 21, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT

Steelers safety Ryan Clark was a frequent and outspoken critic of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league’s emphasis on player safety in 2011.

It started when Clark, Pittsburgh’s NFLPA rep, was involved in the team’s decision to vote against the new CBA because it handed Goodell the power to play judge, jury and executioner when it came to player discipline and continued through Clark’s suggestion that he “might as well” go after other players’ knees if the league is going to levy fines for hits Clark feels are clean. According to Clark, we aren’t going to hear anything like that this season.

Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Clark is going to tone down his rhetoric in this area during the 2012 season. Clark feels that his comments brought negative attention to the Steelers and that the perception of the team “was starting to be tainted.”

(Read More:) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/21/ryan-clark-toning-down-his-comments-toward-the-league/

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This is probably for the best. Although I love it when our guys defend themselves and rebel against Herr Goodell, it does negatively impact the team as a whole when the league targets the Steelers with extra vigor. Save the criticism for the off-season so there's time for the sting to wear off. Doing it during the season just puts blood in the shark infested waters of NFL officials.

Now if Ryan can just convince Deebo to tone it down a notch we might be able to avoid some of this undue bullshit we've been catching the past couple of seasons.