Roger Goodell may have some more explaining to do. (@Yahoo/Twitter)

TMZ may have been the ones to publicize the video now seen around the world, but today, the Associated Press has reported that the NFL did, in fact, receive those elevator tapes where Ray Rice knocks out his fianceé, now-turned wife, Janay Palmer.

The new reports are shockingly incriminating, especially to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who just last night appeared in an interview on CBS with Norah O'Donnell denying that the NFL had access to the recently released elevator tapes.

"No one in the NFL [saw the second video] to my knowledge," Goodell said in the interview. "And I asked that same question and the answer to that is no." 

The AP report seems to suggest otherwise, as it states that the NFL did in fact receive tapes five months ago from a law enforcement official.

But according to TMZ, an NFL high-ranking official denied that the tapes had ever been seen as well. 

It isn't yet clear whether the tapes got lost in the shuffle, but if they never even arrived at the hands of the comissioner, somebody is in big trouble. 

Though whoever that somebody is, it's still Goodell's face by the shield of the NFL and his reputation which will take the biggest hit. 

Oh, and let's not forget about the Baltimore Ravens themselves, who apparently simply ignored the existence of the tapes. 

It's all becoming a never-ending mess for the NFL, and even though Goodell's days as commissioner should be numbered, there is plenty of reason to think his bosses—the NFL owners—will not fire him before all is said and done.

Furthermore, Roger Goodell has reportedly been adamant about the fact that he will never resign, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post.  

Nevertheless, it should be noted that despite the fact that Goodell pleaded ignorance during last night's CBS interview, we now know that it was all a combination of not just ignorance, but incompetence, and blatantly turning a blind eye to the situation.

A situation that has elicited a lot of rightfully deserved backlash and criticism towards all parties involved. 

Amidst breaking stories including appaling new details, perhaps the biggest issue of this story is being lost in the shuffle. Once a disturbing incident of domestic violence, it has now evolved into a media monster that pins Goodell and the NFL as the main perpetrators, and not Ray Rice himself. 

The NFL did respond to the AP report and again denied any knowledge of the video being sent to their offices.

"We have no knowledge of this," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. "We are not aware of anyone in our office who possessed or saw the video before it was made public on Monday. We will look into it.

Whether knowingly or not, Goodell and the NFL are now seen as the enablers by enacting this whole cover-up, and the new reports have already forced Goodell back into the shadows. 

It will be interesting to see if the next time he steps out, he will still be an employed man. 

Reach Staff Reporter Paolo Uggetti here or follow him on Twitter.