Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that a new CBA deal and new broadcast contracts for the rights to air NFL games could very well turn out to be the two final major events of Roger Goodell’s tenure as commissioner.
According to La Canfora, Goodell has told several people close to him that he intends to move on after the completion of those two significant negotiations. Once completed, the two agreements are expected to set the stage for the NFL in terms of revenues and operations for the better part of a decade.
NFL owners are reportedly “excited” the pace and progress of the labor talks with the NFLPA as well as the possibility of getting new TV rights contracts in place along with streaming and online deals before the current broadcast agreements expire after the 2022 season.
La Canfora says that Goodell still has “sufficient support” from owners that he could sign a new extension. However, La Canfora believes his current contract will likely be Goodell’s last with him walking away in a few years, depending on the completion of television deals.
While La Canfora could see some owners trying to convince Goodell to stay, a few owners have already been mulling potential candidates both internally and from outside the league circles. La Canfora expects Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft to have a significant impact on the process.
As for the role of commissioner moving forward, La Canfora says it’s becoming clear that it will change some in the next labor agreement. Per La Canfora, it’s “very unlikely” the next commissioner will retain oversight on off-field discipline issues and there could be some positions created underneath him or her with an executive being tasked with focusing on football matters and another on the business side.
We’ll have more regarding Goodell as the news is available.
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