NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaking at a press conference. Photo by Carmen Mandato via Getty Images
Current Commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, is here to stay for now.
Today, the NFL announced that the 64-year-old businessman signed a four-year extension. This ensures that Goodell will remain the Commissioner through 2027. The deal was finalized this morning, October 18, according to reporter Danial Kaplan.
“I’m obviously honored to do this job,” Goodell said in New York. “It’s not going to change how I’m approaching my day-to-day job, and it hasn’t to date.”
Goodell has been the Commissioner of the NFL since 2006, replacing Paul Tagliabue, who retired at that point. Goodell has since signed extensions in 2009, 2012, 2017, and now 2023. It is unclear if this will be his final extension, as he declined to comment about what the future holds.
“From my standpoint, I signed a three-year extension,” he said. “That’s what I’m going to do. We’ll see what the future holds. I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m not making any commitments other than the next three years.”
Complex Tenure
Goodell began his NFL tenure in 1982 as an administrative intern, meaning that his time in the NFL will now span over 45 years, with 21 of those as Commissioner. It makes sense that he’s sticking around, as the NFL took in over $12 billion in revenue last year, and his approval rating is high among owners. Plus, his salary was reported at over $63 million a year, and if you were him, would you give that up?
“My job is to be Commissioner of the National Football League,” Goodell continued. “Do the best I can, and that’s what I’m going to do…I’m focused on what we can accomplish as a league.”
With flag football recently being added to the roster of games for the 2028 Olympics, combined with the rapid increase of international games, it is clear that the NFL and Goodell are working towards expanding the global reach of the sport. This, combined with new media rights deals, record revenue, and no clear successor, all add up to Goodell staying for now.
