Roger Goodell’s Unexpected Appearance at NYPD Officer Didarul Islam’s Funeral Raises Eyebrows and Questions

The shooter, who died by suicide, carried a note in his pocket alleging he suffered from CTE, a brain injury linked to head trauma. He carried a grievance against the NFL, though he never played football beyond high school.

Roger Goodell isn’t at the Hall of Fame ceremony this year—which, given the circumstances, feels less like an absence and more like a statement. Just days after a tragic shooting at the NFL’s New York offices claimed four lives, including that of NYPD Detective Didarul Islam, the commissioner chose to stay close to the heartbreak and healing rather than the accolades. I can’t help but think about the weight on Goodell’s shoulders as he honored Islam, a father with a family still growing, someone who gave his life shielding others. It’s moments like these that strip away the usual pageantry and reveal the raw, painful cost behind the headlines. Goodell even visited an injured NFL employee, whose fight for recovery offers a shiver of hope amidst such senseless violence. The shooter’s claim of a CTE connection only thickens the plot, a grim reminder of football’s shadow yet to be fully confronted. So while the league observed a vigil in somber silence, the ripple of loss continues to pulse beneath it all—touching fans, players, and the heart of the sport itself. LEARN MORE“Tremendous loss,” Goodell said. “You see the officer’s family, his young children. It’s something that happens in the line of work for police officers, but that never makes it easy. . . . He made detective first grade today. It’s an honor and a promotion, which is well deserved for his bravery.Goodell, who was emotional during the interview with Tirico, said he spent an hour Wednesday at the hospital bed of an NFL employee, who was wounded in the carnage.The NFL held a moment of silent reflection for the four victims of the shooting, including Islam. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is not at the Hall of Fame. Instead, he remains back in New York three days after a gunman killed four people while targeting the NFL offices.

“He’s stable and improving,” Goodell said. “He’s an amazing young man, so we’re optimistic about his recovery, and I think that’s good news for all of us in the NFL. Obviously, our hearts continue to be in support of his family.”“He’s somebody that we see outside the building when we come in most every day. It hits home — the loss, the unnecessary and unexplainable loss. . . . So, it was a difficult, emotional afternoon and also a heartwarming service for him.” Goodell told Mike Tirico during a pregame interview on NBC that he attended the Thursday funeral of New York police officer Didarul Islam, one of the victims of the shooting.Islam is the father of two with a third child on the way, and Goodell paid tribute to him saying Islam “gave his life to protect others.”