One of the sports talking heads, I can't remember which, brought up the fact that the resolution of the Jim Irsay situation was looming on the horizon and that perhaps Goodell low-balled Rice's suspension so that Irsay's punishment would seem harsher by comparison. Personally, I don't think he saw the full tape and went easy on Rice anyway. Domestic violence just hasn't been one of the issues that, historically, just hasn't registered a powerful response from the NFL. They didn't pursue the investigation with their usual vigor as a result and maybe Irsay's impending punishment made Goodell inclined to look at the Rice incident as something of a break.