With the National Anthem protests leading a swath of controversy that has loomed over Roger Goodell's contract negotiations, the demands he's making before re-upping with the NFL will sound even more startling to some fans.
According to news from ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, Goodell is supposedly asking for a $50 million annual salary and a private jet for life from league owners. The requests have thus far been turning head in a negative way among the NFL's elite, with one owner saying that the demands are "offensive" and "unseemly." Goodell's latest proposal also made mention of lifetime health insurance for both himself and his family. For comparison's sake, his current deal with the NFL gives his an annual salary in the neighborhood of $30 million per year.
For its part, the league is denying that these demands have even been made during the negotiations. As per Bleacher Report, in a statement they released earlier today (November 12th), the NFL stated that "the only element of the ESPN report that is true is that there is a regularly scheduled Compensation Committee conference call on Monday. There is no basis in fact for any of the other reporting. Those trying to peddle that nonsense are profoundly misinformed or deliberately trying to mislead."
One of Goodell's most vocal detractors has been Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner who recently lost star running back Ezekiel Elliott to a six-game suspension that was spearheaded by the commissioner and his disciplinary committee. That, coupled with the continued fallout from the player protests during the singing of "The Star Spangled Banner," have resulted in Jones' threat to sue the league if any such deal with Goodell goes through. Meanwhile, it seems as though the embattled head of the NFL is pretty nonplussed by this reaction.
"Roger is defiant," one owner said. "He's not going to resign; he's not going to take a pay cut. He can stand to show some humility, but he won't listen to staff." Goodell has been the NFL's commissioner since 2006. The league has seen tremendous growth in terms of financial dominance over the North American sports and entertainment market and advertising dollars that are sold therein, but Goodell has also been dragged for his handling of touchy subject matter like concussions, domestic violence issues, player safety and and others.