NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he met with Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam III earlier this week about the federal investigation involving his family's truck stop chain, The Associated Press reported on Thursday. The Knoxville based Pilot Flying J is being accused of widespread fraud of customers, according to FBI allegations.
Haslam has said he won't step aside from the Browns or as the company's CEO. When asked by the AP at a pre-draft event Wednesday if he was concerned, Goodell said, "Of course when you have that type of thing."
Goodell added: "Jimmy's doing everything he's asked. He's cooperating. He wants to make sure that he's doing all the right things in that regard, and he's assured us he's going to."
The NFL vets all prospective owners, but Goodell says the league couldn't have known about the investigation before Haslam bought the team last year unless the FBI had chosen to share that information.
The Haslam family's ties to sports continue to collegiate football as well. Patriarch Jim II, Jim III and Tennessee governor Bill Haslam are all key donors to the University of Tennessee football program, their Alma Matter. Tennessee's outdoor practice field is named "Haslam Field" due to the family's financial donations.
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