First and foremost the NFL, is a business, and business is only concerned with profit at any cost.
The NFL, is legally classified, and this is not left to chance because of legal exposure to class-action law suits under the NFL's own corporate charter and by-laws: "Entertainment" Not, I repeat not, classified as a "Sport".
Just as Fox network is legally classified and registered under FCC as an "Entertainment" Network and not, a "News Network".
The distinction is based on legal definitions that if not properly clarified could lead the NFL, just like Fox, to massive class-action law suits for mis-representation and fraud under the RICO Act.
Entertainment and Sports are two very different things.
Entertainment has no over-sight nor does it have any real control over it.
You can get away with most anything if you are "entertainment" from a legal standpoint.
In addition, I personally having worked many years in TV News, as a producer, director etc., learned to my absolute disgust many, many years ago from sport-casters that I worked with at CBS, NBC, and Fox, that the NFL, is as they put it is:
"Rigged when they want it to be".
It's an open secret among TV sports-casters. Will they openly admit this to the public? No way! Unless they want to lose their high-paying jobs in the elite sports media!
They would be flipping burgers the next day, and driving a '76 Pinto!
For those of you who actually believe that the NFL, isn't rigged, at times, are sadly naive and or ignorant about how this world really works, and no absolutely NOTHING about how the "Entertainment" world is all about "illusion" and "delusion".
Why do you think they call it: "Programming" ?
I learned a longtime ago that from working in the media, and the motion picture industry for over 30 years, that literally everything is rigged if it involves large sums of money, as does the NFL.
We live in a very evil and corrupt world where the rich and powerful own and control nearly everything that isn't nailed down.
Do you really believe they would leave billions, if not ultimately trillions of dollars up to chance?
I wish it were different. I've been on this planet for now 59 years, and all I've seen in the world of politics, media, entertainment, and religion has been lies, fraud and endless corruption.
As George Carlin said: "They call it the "American Dream", because you need to be asleep to believe it".
Truer words were never spoken I'm sad to say.