Roger Goodell’s tenure as NFL commissioner is expected to last at least another three years.
Indianapolis team owner Colts Jim Irsay told the spring league meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday that Goodell and NFL owners would conclude an extension of the contract, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said there would be an announcement soon. However, Goodell refused to allow it in one way or another when asked by reporters.
“When it’s extended, we’ll let you know,” Goodell said. “It won’t be extended today, that’s for sure.”
Even the Colts owner let Goodell and his age share some of his responsibilities with someone. However, the Commissioner noted that these were proposals that occurred each time he was in favour of a new agreement, and that there were no changes in his role.
“Something’s happened,” Goodell said. “This will be the third transition I’ve experienced as a commissioner. This discussion has been expressed on every single one of these questions. I have no doubt that it will come back. It’s a healthy discussion, work changes over the years. It’s changed, even though I was a commissioner. So I know we’re going to have these discussions in due course.
Goodell, 64, has been a commissioner since 2006. According to Sports Illustrated, it had previously obtained contract extensions in 2009, 2012 and 2017, but its current agreement – a five-year agreement, reportedly worth up to $200 million – expires in March 2024. Apparently, he’s been preparing to ask for an extension since last summer, despite former NFL manager Joe Lockhart, once indicating that Goodell’s latest contract would be his last.
Goodell is already the second NFL Commissioner, before his predecessor Paul Tagliabue (1989-2006) and only behind Pete Rozelle (1960-1989). Some around the league thought that the league’s long-term executive would retire after the 2020 collective bargaining agreement between the league’s owners and the NFL Players’ Association was completed.
Goodell recently controlled multiple and lucrative NFL franchise sales, including Broncos in 2022 and Panthers in 2018. It is also expected to supervise the sale of the commanders, who have been under his supervision. Perhaps most significant is that Goodell led the NFL through the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the league did not lose a single scheduled game.