BEREA, Ohio - NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell defended the league's decision to suspend Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games for domestic violence, while a player such as Browns receiver Josh Gordon is facing a minimum one-year ban for testing positive for marijuana.

Goodell and the NFL have been blasted from coast-to-coast by media and fans for the apparent disparity in punishments.

"You have to deal with the facts,'' Goodell told reporters at the Pro Football Hall of Fame press conference Friday in Canton. "We have a drug program that is collectively bargained and it has a step process. It takes four incidents before you actually reach a suspension in a drug-related case. You have to respond to facts here.

"You have a lot of people voicing their opinions, but what you have to understand is that this is a young man (Rice) who made a terrible mistake – it's inconsistent with what we're all about. We have dealt with it in a serious manner, and we're very confident that this young man understands where he is and what he needs to do going forward.''

Goodell said he understands that not all of the league's decisions will be popular.

"When we make decisions we always get reactions,'' he said. "We understand that, we listen to it, and we use it to make ourselves better. We're comfortable with that and we understand that.''

While Goodell is in Canton, Gordon was having his appeal heard by arbitrator Harold Henderson at the NFL offices in New York City. Henderson's decision is not expected today, but it's final. Gordon is appealing his minimum one-year ban on the grounds that he tested positive because of second-hand smoke -- an argument no NFL player has won before.

Other NFL players such as former Giants and current Ravens running back Will Hill have tried the "second-hand smoke'' defense and lost.

"Josh is going through the process right now,'' Goodell said. "I am not a part of that process. At some point in time, I may have an opportunity to be involved. When I am, I look forward to meeting with him.''

Goodell indicated that he won't be part of the decision-making process on Gordon's suspension.

"They'll make a decision based on the information that is exchanged today,'' Goodell said.

A source told cleveland.com that Gordon's lawyers will argue that his test results were inconsistent. They will contend that he's the only player claiming second-hand smoke who had a control test under the NFL threshold of 15 nanograms of the banned substance in marijuana per milliliter.

His "A'' test was 16 nanograms, and his "B" test of the same specimen, used to confirm the positive "A,'' was 13.63 ng/ml, the source told cleveland.com.

If Gordon loses his appeal, he'll be banished from the team immediately and have to wait a year to apply for reinstatement with Goodell. If he wins, he'll return to Cleveland and resume his Pro Bowl career. Henderson can also decide on something less than the minimum one-year ban, but a league source stressed, "an appeal ruling is expected to affirm or reject the decision.'' A decision is expected soon, but not likely Friday.

Meanwhile, Goodell defended suspending Rice for only two games after he allegedly struck his then-fiancee and now wife unconscious in a casino elevator in Atlantic City on Feb. 15. Videos show Rice dragging her unconscious out of the elevator.

"Our policy is clear on this,'' said Goodell. "We have a very firm policy that domestic violence is not acceptable in the NFL and that there will be consequences for that. When we're going through the process of evaluating the issue and whether there will be discipline, you look at all of the facts that you have available to us.

"Law enforcement normally has more – on a normal basis – has more information, facts, than we have. We'll get as much as we possibly can. And then you also have the opportunity to sit down with the individual, and maybe others, to determine how that individual is reacting to it. I think what's important here is that Ray has taken responsibility for this.''

He said Rice's suspension was based in part on the fact he's been accountable for his actions.

"He recognizes he made a horrible mistake, that it is unacceptable, by his standards and by our standards. And he's got to work to re-establish himself. The criminal justice system, as you know, put him in a diversionary program with no discipline, and we felt it was appropriate to have discipline, and to continue counseling programs and to continue our education work.

"And I was also very impressed with Ray in the sense that Ray not only is accepting this issue, and saying how it was wrong, but he's saying 'I want to make a powerful difference in this area.' I think you heard from him yesterday. He is a young man that really understands the mistake he made and he is out and about and determined to make a positive difference.''

Goodell emphasized the NFL can't make up rules as it goes along.

"We have to remain consistent,'' said Goodell. "We can't just make up the discipline, it has to be consistent with other cases, and it was in this manner.''