Some professional athletes think they’re invincible; they feel as though they play by different rules than the rest of us in life. Contrary to what they may have convinced themselves of, despite all the money, fame and fanfare, they have to abide by the same rules in their everyday lives as we do, and there are consequences for their actions. It’s common knowledge that star athletes are protected for much of their young lives, perhaps never more than when they’re in college.

Top players are often treated with kid gloves throughout their collegiate careers, frequently allowed to slide on class attendance and treated like royalty on campus. This kind of treatment often results in an attitude that reeks of self-entitlement and the feeling that nothing can touch them. While this isn’t the case with every pro athlete, it certainly applies to some. Thankfully, the National Football League has been putting their foot down as of late, in the commissioner’s office and in most teams’ front offices.

For a time, players definitely got a free pass from their respective teams as far as off-the-field indiscretions were concerned, as long as they sold NFL tickets, but we seem to be moving away from that era more and more each day. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ recent trade of wide receiver Santonio Holmes reflects a growing sentiment among NFL teams that character matters. While talent and production will always come first, the importance of character seems to be increasing steadily.

Holmes caught 79 passes for nearly 1,250 yards last season and was named Super Bowl MVP just two seasons ago. Why did the Steelers trade him for nothing more than a fifth-round draft selection? Well, Holmes was recently involved in an incident in a nightclub in which he allegedly threw a glass at a woman’s face after she failed to surrender her seat to the wideout. This was not Holmes’ first run-in with the law off the field, but rather just another incident in a string of off-field troubles.

The Holmes trade could also be a message to Pittsburgh starting quarterback Tadacip Ben Roethlisberger, who has been accused of sexual assault twice in the past year, though no arrest has been made. With the trade of Holmes, the team may be trying to tell Big Ben that he’s on his last strike with the organization in it’s time to shape up or ship out. The Steelers obviously value character, and I think Brand Levitra more and more teams are beginning to follow suit. While there will probably always be exceptions, such as the current New York Jets, I think character has become increasingly important and will continue to do so.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will be drafted into the NFL later this month. The question everyone wants to know is where and when Tebow will go in the draft. Based on his physical skills alone, Tebow would probably be taken somewhere from the third to fifth round, but his character is flawless. Some draft prognosticators think it’s possible that Tebow is selected in the late first round, while most think it’s very unlikely that he’ll slip past the second. What is the reason for this? Teams know that Tebow will work hard every day and represent the franchise in a professional manner off the field.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has been on a mission to discipline players for repetitive indiscretions. He suspended cornerback Adam Jones for an entire season and the late Chris Henry for eight games shortly into his career as commissioner, and has been quick to warn any players that have shown signs of having problems off the field. Goodell isn’t out to make any friends throughout the NFL, but rather is doing everything he can to improve the image of the league by policing its employees.

I think the combination of the commissioner’s growing track record and the increasing trend among teams to value character more than ever is helping lead this league in a different direction. No other employer would let their employees get away with some of the things that NFL players have gotten away with in the past, but that era appears to be over. Playing professional football is not a right; it’s a privilege, and it should be treated that way.

Author Bio: This article was sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells NFL tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

Category: Recreation and Leisure/Sports/Football
Keywords: NFL, sports, tickets, football, game, sporting event