Eagles GM Howie Roseman Will Not Draft Players Who've Been Violent Against Women

Howie Roseman has gained a reputation as an unpredictable NFL draft master who might trade up, trade down, or pick someone who is a complete surprise. But there's one thing Roseman is transparent and totally predictable about: He's not picking a player who has battered a woman.

The Eagles, under Roseman, apparently have a hard and fast rule that they will not add players who have been violent against women.

And that will definitely be applicable during the coming draft that begins April 24 and runs through the 26th.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 25: General manager Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.  (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

No Batterers Considered By Eagles

"We have a process, we have an objective process that we use," Roseman said during his pre-draft press conference on Tuesday. "We live in a country where you're innocent until proven guilty, and so we try to abide by the judicial process. But I think to get into the details of what we do, that's part of our internal dynamics that I probably wouldn't want to get into. 

"But certainly we try not to make it subjective, is basically what I would say, [so we don’t] get in a situation where we really like a player [and] make excuses for that player. So, we try to have objective criteria when it comes to the issues that you're asking me about, but it is important to us, the people that we bring in this building and that we know we can win with really good people. 

"We also know that young people make mistakes in other areas, but that was one that was on my heart when I was talking about it and something that we believe in as an organization."

Roseman talked about it in a less guarded fashion a few weeks ago during an appearance on Todd McShay's The McShay Show podcast.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 14: General manager Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Eagles Have Subjective Approach On Abuse

And, again, it was Roseman explaining that being guilty of violence against a woman is simply disqualifying for the Eagles, to the point that the general manager won't study the tape of such players.

"So, there are just objective things that even I can't overrule," Roseman said. "And they're ours. But, you know, violence against women. It's just not for us. I wouldn't even watch them; I don’t even want to talk about it. It's just a deal-breaker for us.

"So, I can’t go. ‘Oh, but he's really good, and he did it 10 years ago, and he learned from it.' It just doesn’t work for us."

Roseman feels so strongly about the issue that he doesn't even judge on a case-by-case basis.

"Again," he said Tuesday, "try to make it as objective as possible so that we're not getting into the specifics of each incident."

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 26: Kareem Hunt #29 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates his touchdown run with Patrick Mahomes #15 during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.  (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Some Teams Allow For Second Chances

This obviously flies in the proverbial face of teams that make accommodations for players with domestic violence or abuse histories. 

That is potentially a significant number of players over the years. According to USA Today, 143 NFL players have been arrested, charged, indicted or served warrants on domestic violence allegations since 2000.

And teams make accommodations for these players all the time, sometimes allowing guilty offenders to continue their careers. 

Roseman's Eagles aren't one of those.

That doesn't mean the Eagles don't take chances on troubled players. 

Jalen Carter of Georgia looks on during the NFL Combine. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Eagles Do Take Players With Other Issues

Jalen Carter, for example, was in some trouble prior to the 2023 draft that was not related to domestic violence. The Eagles selected him with the No. 9 overall selection.

Carter, for the record, has not gotten into any trouble since being drafted and last season was a second-team All Pro selection.

But it would have been a different story if Carter had battered a woman.

The idea that the Super Bowl champions can have this internal policy and not suffer in the win column defeats the narrative that teams must accept domestic abuse offenders to compete. 

Those teams looking up at the Eagles in the standings should have the same philosophy when they're considering adding offenders to their rosters as they have when they focus on their chase of the Eagles:

Be better.