Goodell meeting with Benson 'civil but passionate'

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Saints owner Tom Benson this week. No, there were no fistfights.

You wouldn't expect a true professional like Goodell to get into an heated argument and there was none. But I'm told by a source the meeting was "civil but passionate" and Benson aired all of his concerns about the Saints' bounty situation.

Benson's main issue, as you would expect, was the severity of the punishment of the players. I'm also told, however, that Goodell stood his ground with Benson.

The chat was one of the few one-on-one meetings Goodell has had with Benson in recent weeks and months. The NFL would neither confirm or deny that a meeting took place and said that Goodell speaks with owners all the time.

Is this a big deal? Yes and no. This is probably one of many discussions Goodell will have with Benson now and in the future and Goodell will have to walk a delicately thin line. He must stand firm with his Saints discipline while also dealing with Benson who is ostensibly his boss.

It's not an easy task but so far Goodell is pulling it off.