The Senate was disappointed in the four major sports organizations - namely the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the NFL - when they  missed a hearing on violence involving athletes. However, the National Football League (NFL) did send one representative and delivered a testimony that drove him to tears.

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The NFL sent executive Troy Vincent. Once there, he delivered a personal and emotional testimony about domestic violence. His statements appeared to move the senators on the committee.

"When I consider these issues, I bring a perspective far beyond an NFL executive. Domestic violence was a way of life in my home growing up," Vincent told the panel, crying throughout his testimony.

"My brother and I watched helplessly numerous times as my mother was beaten and knocked unconscious, as we dialed 911. We saw how she struggled to seek help and find the courage to say, 'No more.'"

Vincent is the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. He said that the NFL is humbled by the mistakes it has made in dealing with domestic violence among its players. He also said that they are working hard to "get it right."

Most recently, the football organization has taken heat for the Ray Rice debacle, where NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell waited for video evidence to pop up before indefinitely suspending the player for knocking out his wife.

Vincent assured though that they are taking a number of steps to address domestic violence, sexual violence, and child abuse within the league.

The league is currently creating a conduct committee that will review its policies on dealing with these crimes, deploying a "comprehensive mandatory education program for more than 5,000 men and women within the NFL," and support leading domestic violence with the use of groups and hotlines.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said the hearing is necessary to make known a current and relevant problem in today's society. "The bright light of public attention needs to be turned on at a very high wattage on a problem that exists in the shadows in a very dark and scary place," she said.

TagsTroy Vincent, NFL, Senate, violence