CNN

October 3rd, 2011

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell talks to John King

CNN’s John King sat down with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell today to talk about a variety of topics from NFL drug testing policies to the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign. Commissioner Goodell also spoke about Sunday’s controversial call in the Cardinals/Giants game – Did Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz fumble or fall down on the game winning drive? Tune in at 6 p.m. ET. to CNN’s John King, USA to find out.

A highlight from the interview is after the jump and a full transcript of the program will be posted at CNN.com.

Please credit all usage of the interview to CNN’s John King, USA

Highlight from Interview
THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED

JOHN KING, HOST, “JOHN KING USA”:  One of the biggest issues in the labor agreement was testing for human growth hormone.  And you committed to doing it.  The union committed to doing it.

Now, a month into the season, some key members of Congress are saying where is it?

They haven’t seen it.  And so they want to call you up and the players union up to Capitol Hill and say, why?

What’s the delay?

What is it?

ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER:  Well, we’re ready to go.  On the NFL side.  The players wanted to continue to — to look at the science behind the testing.  It’s not a new conversation for us.  We’ve been talking about this for over a year, implementing HGH testing.

KING:  Do you get to a credibility at one point where you say we’re going to do it, it’s part of our deal and now we’re into the season and we don’t have it?

GOODELL:  Well, it certainly is for me, because we committed to it in our collective bargaining agreement, that we’d start on the regular season.  So I’m disappointed that we haven’t done it.  I want to go to the point where we have the best testing program in all of sports.  HGH testing is happening in Olympics.  The science is there.  It is a valid test.  We should be doing it.

And so…

KING:  Is the union just stubborn?

GOODELL:  The union — it seems they want to continue to focus on some of the science.  But I think the science is there.  Now, obviously, technology will continue to improve and it will be our job to stay up with technology and try to have the best technology in all of our testing.

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