The video leaking did change things, but its not a simple two lane street of hypocrisy. Its a eight lane divided highway.
1. In his CBS interview, Roger denied that they had to see the video to understand what Rice and Palmer meant when they said (and the police report said) he struck her and knocked her down with his left hand. He then went on immediately to describe the content of the tape as "clear, graphic and sickening" and THAT was the reason they took additional action. That is hypocrisy #1, but if you believe that is the actual reason, I have a bridge to sell you. Its also an unforced error. Roger admitted they erred in the punishment. He could have simply amended that to they ended the investigation too early rather than say the video made no difference.
Video: http://www.latimes.com/sports/sports...htmlstory.html
2. The new video is public. Sponsors were now going to get a new wave of heat as this dominated the news coverage for a couple of days. The target demo wasn't particularly happy with the event and punishment. Most of American cannot do anything about the prosecutor in NJ, they can be mad at the NFL and not buy pink product. Everyone wants this story buried and off the front page so the team and league do something drastic to take back the headlines. He's cut and suspended. Rice is sacrificed, because this is going to cost the NFL revenue and bad press.
3. The NFL's only possible public justification for more punishment is the video. Which they claim contained nothing new and that their initial investigation was thorough enough to make them aware of the events. So now your story relies on the thin thread that you knew was was in the video, but had never seen or possessed it. That's having your hypocrisy and eating it too, evidentially speaking.
4. Inevitably, given they had previously described the content of the elevator video to the press, the NFL would be revealed to have had the tape. But it had the tape informally, they were not supped to reveal they had possession or had seen it. Their current answer? If we have it, no one knew it, its under the desk, a temp signed for the package and we never watched it.
5. Voicemail tells us that not only was there possession, but that someone watched it. And now they are left to claim the right people weren't told OR everyone was lying.
6. The NFL will still maintain that the Personal Conduct Policy (and HGH perhaps) should still not be subject to review, due process and arbitration. Because the commissioner must protect the Shield. Speaking of which, remember the Saints? Didn't Roger tell them that ignorance of events in the building was no defense to the charges? How about it Roger, you going to let some underling take the fall?