Goodell will respect Winston's plans

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he will respect Jameis Winston's decision if he stays at home with his family for the NFL draft rather than attend the event next month in Chicago.

Goodell made his comments in an interview with The MMQB.com and said that when he met with Winston recently, the Florida State quarterback "was clear that he wanted to spend time with his family."

Winston's father, Antonor, told ESPN.com last week that his son, who is widely projected to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick, does not plan to attend the draft, as he currently prefers to spend that day with family and friends in Alabama, although that"was not set in stone."

Goodell said he is not part of the invitation process for the draft, but he's "not concerned" if Winston is selected No. 1 but wouldn't be available to walk across the stage on draft day because he chose to stay home.

"I think that it's something we respect when a player says, 'I'd like to be with my family on that day.' It's an important day for them also," he told the website.

Ohio State defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson, who was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1994, was the last No. 1 pick not to attend the draft.

The commissioner also discussed his recent meeting with Winston in New York City, which he said came at Winston's request.

"We certainly welcomed the opportunity to sit with Jameis and his representatives. We had several people affiliated with our office that met with him," he told the website.

"It was a good opportunity for us to make sure that he understood the expectations that we have of him as a player in the NFL for him to ask questions of us, and to make sure that there is clarity about the importance of the personal conduct policy and the expectations we have of everyone -- whether you're a player, whether you're a first-round draft choice, or whether you're the commissioner. We have a responsibility to live up to them."

The NFL draft will be held from April 30 to May 2.