Sometimes you see players who have had off-the-field situations unfold, and as a result, they may get put on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List. However, while that is happening and with Week 1 of the regular season drawing close, you may not know exactly what that is or what it means. Let’s take a look at just what it all means.
What Is the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List?
The NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List is described as a “special player status” made available to clubs only in unusual circumstances. The list allows teams to put players on it who have been declared by the commissioner to be temporarily exempt from counting within the Active List limit for varying reasons deemed by the commissioner himself.
The commissioner is the only one who is able to decide who is and isn’t on the list. Organizations have no say on who and why they get put on it.
On the other hand, it’s not a list that can be counted on based on circumstance. No exemption, regardless of the situation, is grounds for an automatic addition to the list.
The commissioner also has the complete controlling power to decide in advance whether a player’s time on the Exempt List will be indefinite or will continue until they deem the proper amount of time on said list suffices, allowing the player to be lifted and returned to the Active List.
What Can You Do While on Commissioner’s Exempt List?
The rules while being on the Commissioner’s Exempt List are set and clear. An NFL player who is on the Exempt List cannot participate in any football activities during that time.
Although the player cannot participate in practice or attend games, they are allowed to be present at the facility for meetings, and workouts and receive treatment if needed.
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The players are also paid while on the list. It’s not considered a punishment that comes with a financial loss and is used more as a placeholder for the league to gather further information before they absolve or slap down punishment on a player.
It’s a unique situation that the NFL does not exercise too often. But in the past, we’ve seen NFL stars put on the list for a variety of reasons. Players such as Ben Roethlisberger, Adam Jones, Ndamukong Suh, and Chris Henry have all been on the list at varying times.