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Roger Goodell Extends NFL Commissioner Role Through 2030 Season
Confirmed
In Short: Roger Goodell has signed a four-year contract extension to remain NFL commissioner through the 2030 season.
The NFL's compensation committee has approved a four-year contract extension for Roger Goodell, keeping him as the league's commissioner through the 2030 season, according to reports from CBS Sports and Fox News. This deal positions Goodell to be front and center for the NFL's next round of collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations with the NFL Players Association and to oversee the league's current media rights deals, which are worth just over $110 billion and set to run through the 2032 season.
Goodell, who began his NFL career as an administrative intern in 1982 under then-Commissioner Pete Rozelle, will now serve through the age of 71, making him the second-longest serving commissioner in league history behind only Pete Rozelle. The extension will carry Goodell through the end of the 2030 season and expire just prior to the 2031 NFL Draft, when he will be 71 years old. This is Goodell's fifth contract extension since he became commissioner in September 2006, and it will make him the second-longest serving commissioner in league history.
The NFL's Compensation Committee on Sunday notified the league's owners that it reached a four-season extension with Goodell, with the deal carrying him through the end of the 2030 season and ending just before the 2031 NFL Draft. The league has continued expanding its global reach, and is playing a record nine international games this season. Goodell's tenure has been defined by aggressive commercial growth, enormous media-rights agreements, and increased emphasis on player safety and labor peace after the 2011 lockout. The valuation of franchises under Goodell has skyrocketed, with the Seattle Seahawks being the latest example in a sale worth $9.612 billion.
According to reports from Fox News, Kraft recently outlined how the commissioner and, indeed, the entire league is facing enormous pressure from Congress and other government entities tied to its 65-year-old antitrust exemption. There are serious questions whether the league is abusing it to gouge fans and force games behind paywalled streaming services. Goodell was even recently invited to testify on the subject before Congress. The NFL hasn't been required to disclose Goodell’s compensation on an annual basis because the league office is no longer structured as a tax-exempt trade association. Financial terms of Goodell’s new contract weren't immediately known, but one industry compensation consultant source told OutKick that Goodell was expected to reach $300 million over the four-year term if he meets the top tier of his deal's incentive thresholds.
In a memo sent to owners that was obtained by The, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who is the chairman of the league's compensation committee, said: 'We believe we are very fortunate to have Roger at the helm for the next four years.' Kraft added: 'To that end, the agreement is heavily performance based, with more than 95% of the total compensation tied to Roger’s and the NFL’s performance measured against various metrics and at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Roger Goodell will remain the commissioner of America's strongest and most popular professional sports league at least through March of 2031, following an NFL announcement that he has signed a contract extension.
- “Throughout the negotiation process, the Committee worked closely with an independent third-party compensation consultant and outside counsel to structure a deal that aligns Roger’s compensation with the League’s long-term interests and success,” Kraft said.
- He reportedly earned $63.9 million for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
- Under Goodell’s leadership, the NFL’s popularity and revenue have skyrocketed.