Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Rothlisberger can’t keep himself out of trouble. Accused of, but not charged with, his second case of sexual misconduct in less than a year, it’s clear the man is making some bad decisions. Rothlisberger’s crisis management throughout both cases has been sub-par, and the statement he issued following the NFL’s decision to suspend him for several games did little to change that impression. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has more details:
Roethlisberger, suspended 4 to 6 games by the National Football League last week for violating its personal conduct policy, said Monday he will not appeal the penalty and promised to “comply with what is asked of me — and more.”
He took accountability for the “consequences” of his actions. He apologized again to his teammates and Steelers fans, and pledged to “not put myself in this situation again.”
By releasing a statement instead of immediately addressing his situation in person, Roethlisberger emulated Tiger Woods and other celebrities publicly tangled in unseemly circumstances. But the statement will likely do little to restore the two-time Super Bowl winner’s tarnished image, according to those in the tarnished image-restoring business.
The article, which features reactions from PR pros, including BCM President Jonathan Bernstein, rips Rothlisberger for his blatantly impersonal and scripted approach. In this day and age it’s just not enough to simply read the words on the card, people have to believe you mean it.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/