Goodell Extension Headed Toward Approval at Owners’ Meetings

EAGAN, Minn. —  There won’t be an ownership vote that’d mercifully end the Washington Commanders’ sale saga at the NFL’s spring meeting that begins at a luxury hotel outside the Twin Cities on Monday. 

Instead, some carryover items will be discussed and potentially approved — including Commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract extension. 

Progress was made toward Goodell’s fourth extension at the owners’ meetings in March and in the two months since. The NFL’s compensation committee will likely forward the extension to a full ownership vote. 

Goodell’s current deal expires in March 2024, and his next extension is expected to run for three or four years. 

ESPN reported the vote is expected during an owners-only session on Tuesday. 

Goodell has been commissioner since 2006 and is a month away from surpassing his predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, as the second-longest serving commissioner in modern league history after only Pete Rozelle’s nearly 30-year run. 

Goodell’s salary is no longer publicized since the NFL gave up its tax-exempt status in 2015. The New York Times reported that Goodell’s total annual compensation was nearly $64 million as recently as the 2020-21 fiscal year.

But for how much revenues have gone up under Goodell, sources told Front Office Sports his salary wasn’t a sticking point with owners. The current deals with broadcast and streaming partners pay the NFL more than $12 billion annually. 

Goodell will free himself from the most problematic owner of his reign in the coming weeks. Commanders owner Dan Snyder exits with the biggest sports franchise sale price — and multiple ongoing investigations. 

Josh Harris’ $6.05 billion purchase agreement will be discussed here as progress continues toward a full ownership vote this summer. 

Goodell has been criticized for his decisions on the NFL’s first outside investigation of the Commanders’ toxic workplaces allegations that concluded in July 2021. That didn’t lead to a written report or publicly announced sanctions against Snyder. 

A second league-initiated investigation is ongoing.

Already a co-defendant in a lawsuit filed by the D.C. Attorney General, the attorneys general in California and New York launched a joint investigation of the NFL over allegations of discrimination and workplace harassment. 

While this could be Goodell’s final extension, there’s not much chatter about who could succeed him. One source said Goodell could be open to another extension. 

Other Agenda Items

• While the meetings don’t officially begin until Monday, the latest NFL coaches accelerator program kicked off on Sunday. There are 40 coaches from around the NFL participating in the three-day program designed to identify coaches from diverse backgrounds who were identified as potential future head coaches. 
• Santa Clara’s Levi Stadium has reportedly been tapped as the site of Super Bowl LX in 2026, and an official announcement could come here. The San Francisco 49ers’ home stadium hosted Super Bowl 50. 
• The site for the 2025 NFL Draft — which is expected to go to Green Bay — could also be made official at the meetings. Detroit will host next year’s draft.