Jed York once famously said, “I own the 49ers, and you don’t dismiss owners.”
But it’s possible to suspend them.
The NFL says as to York’s no-contest plea on charges of disorderly conduct and possession of criminal tools, “We are aware of the matter which will be reviewed under the personal conduct policy.”
The question becomes whether York will emerge with the same punishment that a player would receive for the same offense. There’s a perception that, even though owners are supposedly held to a higher standard than players in theory, owners are sometimes held to a lower standard in practice.
Coincidentally, York’s path to ownership traces back to a legal problem involving his uncle, Eddie DeBartolo. In 1998, DeBartolo pleaded guilty to a felony charge of failing to report that former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards allegedly extorted $400,000 from DeBartolo to win a casino license.
DeBartolo was placed on probation for two years, paid $1 million in fines, and agreed to testify against Edwards. DeBartolo also relinquished ownership of the team to his sister (and York’s mother) Denise DeBartolo York.
