Nfl Hazing Practices Essay

Now, consider this practice of hazing being the normal culture at your work place. There is no way lawfully that this type of behavior would be allowed at a normal work place; imagine all of the civil lawsuits that would take place. I pose this question: Why is this activity deemed unethical and illegal in the normal workforce and the offenders would more than likely face criminal charges and penalties? Why is this exact same activity considered the social norm in the NFL? Studies show that hazing practices are not just taking place within the NFL, but occurring at all levels of football (Corbett, 2013). Although this is true, I will tend to focus on the NFL due to this league being the highest level of football competition. With the

Research shows that the NFL bylaws do lack provisions that prohibit hazing and bullying (Johnson, 2011). Conversely, the NFL’s Standard on Conduct clearly states “violent or threatening behavior among employees, whether in or outside the workplace, is prohibited” (NFL History, 2015). It also bars any conduct that dangers the safety and well-being of another person. With the most famous cases of NFL hazing that were formerly described, it is shown that there are flaws and key elements that the National Football League bylaws are lacking. Although the NFL “on paper” does not condone violent and threatening behavior, it still occurs and many players believe these traditions can help build strong, winning teams. Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe agrees with this perception. During rookie year, he paid a “rookie tab” of $1,000 to his teammates. He justifies, “In the doing that, I felt a sense of entitlement and knew I was officially in the NFL” (Johnson, 2011). Jared Allen, current defensive end for the Chicago Bears, has a similar perception of rookie hazing. Allen states, “It builds camaraderie. You pay your dues, you take it like a man, prove yourself, and then next year it’s your turn to test the new guy” (Johnson,