Roger Goodell Signs Five-Year Contract Extension With NFL

Update:

Here’s the letter sent by the compensation committee to all 32 owners regarding the new extension for commissioner Roger Goodell:

Dear Owners,

Please see the below message sent on behalf of the Compensation Committee.

All,

In recent days, we have spoken with each of you individually regarding the status of the negotiations to extend Commissioner Goodell’s employment contract. ‎In the course of those discussions, we have reviewed with you the details of the contract extension. Our Committee unanimously supports the contract and believes that it is fully consistent with “market” compensation and the financial and other parameters outlined to the owners at our May 2017 meeting, as well as in the best interests of ownership. We also have expressed in those conversations our strong and unanimous belief that we should proceed to sign the agreement now, consistent with the unanimous May resolution and to avoid further controversy surrounding this issue.‎ We are pleased to report that there is a nearly unanimous consensus among the ownership in favor of signing the contract extension now.

Accordingly, this will advise the ownership that a binding contract extension has been signed by the Commissioner and by Arthur Blank, on behalf of the League entities.

We are pleased to have resolved this issue and we appreciate the strong support received from our partners. It was particularly gratifying to hear so many owners commit to being more engaged in League affairs and to express the desire to work more closely with the Commissioner and League staff on matters critical to the League. We know that we speak for all of you, as well as for the Commissioner, in saying that the NFL is strongest when our ownership is active and unified.

We look forward to seeing each of you at the Special Meeting in Dallas on December 13th and to working together, as a partnership, to address the important issues facing the League.

Sincerely,

Compensation Committee:
Arthur Blank, Chairman
Clark Hunt
Robert Kraft
John Mara
Bob McNair
Art Rooney

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Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, reports that the Compensation Committee has informed owners that a new contract for Roger Goodell has been signed.

According to Florio, the memorandum sent to NFL owners says that a “binding contract extension has been signed by the Commissioner and by Arthur Blank, on behalf of the League entities.” Florio adds that the memo states that there was “nearly unanimous consensus” among the owners to finalize the deal now.

Goodell has been expected to sign a new five-year extension that would keep him in place as the commissioner through the 2024 season and extend his run to 19 years for months now. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been spearheading a movement against an extension for Goodell until it can be reviewed by all of 32 owners and not just the Compensation Committee.

Even so, recent reports mentioned that a deal between Goodell was expected to be in place by upcoming owners meeting and it sounds like they managed to get an extension finalized before then.

One report said that Goodell was targeting a compensation package that included $50 million per year, lifetime use of a private jet and lifetime health insurance for his family. NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart later denied that report.

Goodell’s new contract is expected to be more incentive-based than his prior agreements.

Goodell, 58, was hired as the NFL’s commissioner in 2006, replacing Paul Tagliabue. His contract was extended in 2009 and again in 2012.

During his first 10 years as commissioner, Goodell earned $212.5 million including nearly $32 million in the 2015 fiscal year.