Harry Cheadle makes the case in this essay for ending the NFL Commissioner’s unilateral and arbitrary power to suspend players for “off-field behavior”:

Announce that no one is going to be suspended or fined by the league for any off-field behavior and let the teams take charge of discipline. Say, “It’s not our business what athletes put in their bodies or do when they’re off the clock. We just want to make sure the games are entertaining for the fans and safe for the players. We trust that individual franchises will be able to deal with any serious problems like addiction or anger management issues, but other than that? It’s not our business.”

What’s wrong with Mr Cheadle’s argument? Isn’t it that the individual teams themselves have no real incentive to punish their own players’ bad behavior, especially the off-the-field behavior of their best athletes?