Contract Extension Could Put Roger Goodell In Rarified Air

Roger Goodell’s next contract extension could take him past three-quarters of a billion dollars in career earnings as NFL commissioner.

The league is working to keep Goodell — whose deal expires in 2024 — in place through 2027, when he’ll turn 67, in a deal that many believe will be his last. 

Goodell was hired in 2006 for a reported compensation of about $6.5 million. His most recent annual salary is believed to be nearly $64 million — which means Goodell’s pay has increased nearly tenfold since taking over the NFL’s top job.

This latest deal could push Goodell’s personal wealth into the stratosphere.

Using the NFL’s tax filings from 2006-15 and various reports since the league gave up its tax-exempt status, a conservative estimate would put Goodell’s earnings to date at close to $500 million.

By 2027, he could be expected to easily eclipse $700 million in earnings or even more, given the league’s ever-growing revenue — from deals like the current $10 billion bundle of annual media rights through the next decade.

Some owners might even want Goodell to stay beyond 2027 — and it wouldn’t be the first time Goodell has backed away from the idea of retirement. In 2017, former NFL communications executive Joe Lockhart said the commissioner viewed his current deal as his last.

A League Of His Own

Goodell’s current salary dwarfs those of his contemporaries.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred appears to be the closest at a reported $17.5 million per year, with the NBA’s Adam Silver reportedly at $10 million.