[Megatron96]

When has Goodell ever gone strictly "by the book"? I can't remember a single time.

Anyway, and I hate to say this, I think there's a good chance that Goodell keeps Tyreek on the Commissioner's Exempt List as long as possible (I don't know the rules on that) and then suspends him for the remainder of the season to "make an example."

The main reason I believe that's likely is that Kraft and Goodell are basically besties, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if Kraft (behind closed doors, of course) asks Goodell for just such a favor, so his Pats have a better chance of getting to yet another SB.