Abstract

The backlash against the National Football League for the light punishment of Ray Rice, who beat his then-fiancée unconscious in 2014, followed by domestic abuse allegations and prosecution of other notable professional football players set off a firestorm of blame and blame-shifting among NFL owners, players, and fans. Throughout these discussions, the rhetorical choices of the various parties illuminated the shifting values connecting masculinity and domestic violence in sport. This paper analyzes several official and unofficial messages from parties connected to the situation to gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which definitions of masculinity have been impacted by rhetorical choices in the NFL this year.