Roger Goodell will remain NFL commissioner until at least 2027 following a vote to approve a three-year contract extension at the NFL Owners' meeting. "It really was quite simple, honestly. It was just a matter of getting to it, frankly. It wasn't much of a discussion. It was pretty quick. I'm obviously honored to do this job," Goodell said of the process leading to his extension. While the details of the new contract were not made public, it is believed to be the most lucrative in the history of league commissioner contracts, regardless of sport. Furthermore, Goodell's contract likely contains a wealth of incentives tied to the league's continued financial success.
Goodell took over as NFL commissioner in 2006 and has helped launch the league into the stratosphere in terms of financial and cultural success. One of this most recent achievements has been helping achieve the inclusion of flag football in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. However, it has not been smooth sailing. Several major scandals have overshadowed the league and Goodell. The most notable of these was the actions of former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder. Snyder's behavior ended up putting the NFL in front of Congress. However, Goodell has been able to weather each and every storm with minimal disruption, making him very valuable to the owners.
Goodell Speaks On The Future
"From my standpoint, there's still a number of things that we want to do as a league. It's not my agenda. When we talked about a long-range plan [with owners], we talked about, 'this is your long-range plan'. Listen, there are a lot of challenges out there, but there are also a lot of opportunities for us. We're focused on how we make the NFL better every day, how we become a global sport. I think some very exciting things are happening in that context. I feel really good about where the National Football League is today, but we don't sit around and tell ourselves that. We really focus on the things that we need to do."
Furthermore, Goodell, 64, was non-committal about whether this fourth contract extension would be his last. "We will see what the future holds. Other than that, over the next three years, I'm going to bust my butt," Goodell said. If one had to guess, Goodell will likely take a short-term extension to see the league through the 2028 Olympics before stepping down. Goodell first joined the NFL in 1982 as an administrative intern under Commissioner Pete Rozelle.
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