Goodell will get nearly $20 million per year by end of decade

Getty Images

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell currently makes roughly $10 million per year.  Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal reports that, by the end of Goodell’s new deal, he’ll make roughly two times that amount.

And if you think that $20 million per year will be a lot by 2019, keep in mind that baseball’s commissioner, Bud Selig, already gets that much.

“If your compare [Goodell] to any of the other commissioners in other sports, we think he would rank very high in that group, and he needs to be compensated on that basis,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank told Kaplan.

Still, it’s a lot of money.  And Goodell has earned it.  Even if it’s safe to predict that there will be at least 70 comments eventually posted below complaining about Goodell and/or his salary.

78 responses to “Goodell will get nearly $20 million per year by end of decade

  1. so he gets 10 Million a year just to watch football and talk to players about their problems…hmm I need a career change

  2. Football fanatics don’t care what he makes. We just want him to not destroy the game in the name of safety.

  3. By then the tickets will cost twice as much, and so well the NFL-licensed merchandises. But I think it’s not really his salary but the overall financial structure of NFL that is unrealistically raising the cost of NFL to the common fans.

  4. Would be a sweet twist of fate if they cut him three years into his mega-deal before he got to the big money… just like teams do to players. Then he can hit up free agency for aging commissioners. I’m sure the IHL or the Putt Putt Pro-Am will come calling.

  5. Yes, but if he has surgery on his neck, will the owners pay him $20 million to sit around and do nothing?

  6. He’s “earned” it? How? From what I understand, he’s never played a single down in professional football and yet, he makes more per year than most star (aka elite) players. For doing what? For telling said star players how they should behave? Granted…. someone needs to do it, but there’s no way I’m buying that this guy currently earns $10 mil (AND deserves it) let alone will come anywhere near deserving $20 mil PER YEAR by the end of his tenure.

  7. Can someone please explain this to me. Why is it ok for this guy to make 20 mil, the owners to make 39 billion on TV contracts, sportscasters and others affiliated with the NFL to make millions but people only complain about players making a couple of dollars in a short term career. Players who risk concussions, broken bones, torn ligaments and premature death? Somethings not right.

  8. Can someone please explain this to me. Why is it ok for this guy to make 20 mil, the owners to make 39 billion on TV contracts, sportscasters and others affiliated with the NFL to make millions but people only complain about players making a couple of dollars in a short term career? Players who risk concussions, broken bones, torn ligaments and premature death. Somethings not right.

  9. He will still have the same salary but when you add up the fines that he makes up it should add up to 20 million.

  10. And yes… I get that I’m over simplifying his main job duties, but there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s not worth that kind of money. Not unless he’s on the front line.. and he’s not

  11. It is not my place to judge his salary. I do however think that some consistency in fine application needs to be figured out. Most likely, that will have to come from someone who makes less $ per year. Mainly because he does not seem to be capable of figuring it out himself.

  12. If you are considering ruining the NFL as “earned it”, then yes, he has earned every penny.

  13. im sure therell be more than 70 comments bout him cuz hes a worthless commissioner hes tryin to turn the nfl into a flag football leauge i understand hes tryin to keep players safe but they all no the risks they take when the step on the field and before 2019 it wouldnt suprise me if he fines players everytime they make a tackle he takes the rules and finin way too far we need somebody else besides goodell

  14. Uhoh! Player fines are getting ready to increase. Lineman will now be fined $5,000 for a holding penality.
    20 Million – I need a career change

  15. LOL
    since when do the guys on the front line get the best salaries. The guys that get hurt the worst dont get the salaries either.
    Negotiated 10 years of football for the owners, the players and us.
    Certainly that is worth as much as a good safety gets in the league?
    Its very interesting he will have to re-win his job in the year before he has to renegotiate the collective agreement.

  16. No one should be getting paid millions upon millions each year. Doesn’t matter if you ‘earned’ it.

    Just isn’t right with how much suffering is going on in America right now.

  17. Now I have a migraine from screaming in my head. Yes, let’s give him his CEO pay. He’s certainly made the NFL one of the nation’s premier corporate entities. And the more corporate it becomes, the more soul it loses.

  18. There are 20 million people who could do the job he is doing. Players get paid a lot of money because of their unique skills. I don’t see any unique skills in Roger unless being wildly inconsistent is a skill.

  19. To bad God-del can’t be fined by the players. He may have added money to the NFL but has taken away the integraity of the game.

  20. I sure hope this guy has a decent amount of charities that he donates to. All that money, and for what… Having a chat with Ray Lewis or attending a meeting in Barbados, hosting the draft, visiting one of thirty-two stadiums to chat with the owners or having dinner with this or that governer? What a job! Geez, just the perks are worth the work he actually does. Mr. Roger Goodell, do you think you really deserve the amount of money you make?

    Maybe there should be a payscale for Commissioner?
    Anyone agree?

  21. “Still, it’s a lot of money. And Goodell has earned it. ”

    hop off his nutz mike

  22. Wow!

    20 million to rule over a flag football league?
    20 million to continually alienate the fan base?

  23. It’s only 20 million per year!! That’s not bad!!! So… That’s 160 million by the end of 2019, and I make 37k a year. I will have made 296k by then!!! Wooooo buddy!!!!

  24. So I guess if you compare trash to trash it is hard not to say he is equal to the rest. I am pretty sure they were only taking in account MLB and NBA.

    For being the number one game in the US it is sad he is not the number one Commissioner in the US. Gary Bettman is number one by a far distance. Than the huge drop to Selig, maybe a small drop to Goodell, than comes Stern.

  25. Every penny is earned. If ticket prices go up and you continue to pay them… then it is a great decision. If merchendice prices go up and people continue to buy it… then it is a great decision. If rules change or enforcement of thsose rules change and players are fined because of it then ratings and revenue increase higher than ever in history…. great decision.

    It doesn’t matter if he has ever played a down or if he is “changing” the game. In the end if the fanbase increases, players are less likely to be hurt, and former/retired players live longer, more sucessfull, more comfortable lives then I say he is changing the game for the better.

    Anyone on this site stop watching football yet? Didn’t think so, just finished a great season with two exciting championship games and a great Super Bowl. Lots of great competitive games this year. And my money spent on the NFL ticket was very well spent….and I will be spending that money again next year.

  26. I can’t care less about his salary, I only make $43.3k/year.

    What I DO want is him to release EA Sports from their exclusive contract withthe NFL so that we can get a good football game for a change. Madden sucks, and competition will make the game better.

    That is all.

  27. 20 mil that’s it? With all that fine money he’s taking from players for touching the qb, and hitting a “defenseless receiver” why not pay him 100 mil a year?

  28. Put aside the question of “Is he worth it?” for a second, and try to figure out… What does a middle aged guy do with a Million+ bucks a month? I mean, there is only so much time in the day to spend money! I know New York rents can be high, but DAAAAAAAAANG!!!!!!!

  29. When is he gonna complain about how much rookies make again? I guess him making way more annually than the best NFL players is ok. In his opinion. Must be tough to sit on his ass all day doing interviews on NFLTA. They need to give him a raise.

  30. If Roger and his gang masterfully lured all TV networks to pay way much more for the seasons to come (including NBC Sports, who owns this site), no wonder all team owners decided to give him a special reward. After all, the NFL is pretty much like any other company, a result-driven organization. Now that TV revenue got a hefty increase for everybody, how about ending the blackout in small markets and making ticket prices more affordable, huh?

  31. Mike Whorio. The reason we complain is not because of the money. It’s because he is on his way to ruining the game of violence we love.

  32. Keep in mind that baseball’s commissioner, Bud Selig, already gets that much.
    But keep in mind that Bud Selig Didn’t kill the sport of baseball .

  33. unless youre coming up with a cure for cancer or aids…..you arent “earning” 20 mill a year. its not about being a hater…..with people suffering in this world like they are, some things are just effed up, and a sports commissioner making that amount of money is one of them. id personally be embarrassed if i were him.

  34. I don’t get people complaining about Goodell and the owners wanting to get more safety for the players. what’s wrong with increasing player safety? It is not a flag football league either. Stand on the sideline of an NFL game and watch the players hit.

  35. Goodell 20 million a year….. (sarcasm) and worth every-damn-penny-of-it……

    Goodell said he wants to “fix” the pro-bowl and make it like a regular season game. No problem. Starting in 2012 every regular season/playoff game will have the contact and effort of the pro bowl game…..

    and like others said. It isn’t complaining about what he makes. It complaining because Goodell has/is on his way to ruining football. He hasn’t earned his $$$ unless the goal is ruining football…..

  36. ademell1 says:
    Feb 13, 2012 1:21 PM
    No one should be getting paid millions upon millions each year. Doesn’t matter if you ‘earned’ it.

    Just isn’t right with how much suffering is going on in America right now.

     ————-

    What the hell do you mean doesn’t matter if you earned it?? While I don’t agree with the 20mil there are plenty millionaires who “earned” it. You sir are what’s wrong with America, to think that anyone who makes millions shouldn’t b/c of …. Is a bogus argument reserved for people who don’t understand what this country is about. If you want millions, work hard, get an education, come up with an invention or something but damn don’t sit there and say no one deserves it just cause you or anyone else you know doesn’t have it. (just for the record I’m nowhere close to being a millionaire)

  37. Jimmy Grahm, Vincent Jackson, Victor Cruz, Desean Jackson, Matt Forte, Fred Jackson, Ray Rice, Wes Welker, ect….. hold out for every penny you deserve.

  38. maybe now that he will be earning 20 fat ones he could go down in history by getting a NFL team in Los Angeles, Toronto, Portland, or San Antonio.

    These are things that define you as great commissioner instead playing head games with a city who is building a football stadium tax free in the nations 2nd largest Market, he rather talk of expansion. When the purple drank wore off the next morning he knew he let the cat out of the bag and changed his story. Chump he is says Master Yoda.

    He wants to be defined as the Commissioner who lead the nation and league in concussion related matters which I am on board with but, he is totally watering the game down with to many fines and penalties. And guess what Mr Goodell? Players are still getting hurt. I think their were more hurt players this year under his new policies than there have been without them IMO. How many teams were decimated this year and had to play back ups especially Qbs, Oakland,, Houston, Indy, Chicago, KC, Philly, Dallas almost, Big Ben almost, Tebow almost, and whoever else I forgot. 2012 was the year the QBs took a beating and went down.

  39. njhitman says:
    Feb 13, 2012 2:27 PM
    Keep in mind that baseball’s commissioner, Bud Selig, already gets that much.
    But keep in mind that Bud Selig Didn’t kill the sport of baseball .

    _______________________________

    By “killing” the game you mean increasing ratings to record numbers? Last I checked increasing the popularity of something is a good thing….And i wouldn’t call it “killing” the sport.

    These arguments about the “Purity of the game” amaze me, it’s like we have these things in life and because we like them, we can never make changes. Godell and others have found ways to improve the game or improve safety during and after players careers. Look back now at how many players from earlier eras have Quaker Instant Oatmeal for brains. Godell has found ways to work towards preventing much of this (not all, it is a contact sport) and he has done so without hurting the competitiveness of the game. Football is still fun, exciting, entertaining, and is working toward being as safe as the game can be without losing the rest.

    People who make these arguments just hate change, most likely the same people who fought against interleague play in baseball. Want to ruin a good thing because it is differant than what has been done in the past.

  40. Still, it’s a lot of money. And Goodell has earned it.

    There is no man, women or child worth that kind of money. I don`t care what he does or thinks he does, no one is worth 20 million a year. The president does not even make that kind of money. And to think this guy is a moron to boot really pisses me off. Boycott the NFL until ticket prices drop and this clown is gone.

  41. njhitman says:
    Feb 13, 2012 2:27 PM
    Keep in mind that baseball’s commissioner, Bud Selig, already gets that much.
    But keep in mind that Bud Selig Didn’t kill the sport of baseball .

    ===================================
    Goobs, did you check out the ratings of baseball and interest in baseball, especially for people under 54 years old? Guess not. Fewer and fewer people are paying attention to baseball. Most players in it are foreign born, very few players have national endorsement deals.

    There is a big inequality between the halves and half nots. Think a baseball team based in Indianapolis would be contending for the post season for 10 straight season? This a baseball team in Pittsburgh would have a bigger following than a team in New York? Think it would be possible for an NFL team to have 20 consecutive losing seasons in today’s market. Selig really has done a good job alright. Running his sport like a banana republic.

  42. When goodall removes tackling from the game…his paycheck will be double what it is now….he is basically the parent that sees a smear the queer game happening and desperetly tries to stop it….

  43. That will keep a lot people parked on their couches. I guess we know why ticket prices are going up, in the worst economic times. Goodell is living large!

  44. I don’t care what other sports are paying their commissioners, $10 is too much as it is! What has he done for the game thus far? Tagliabue was a much better commissioner, and the players actually respected him!

  45. The comments make me laugh. There are a ton of haters making 20K in this piece.

    How much should Goodell make? 100K? 500K?

    Naw the last time I checked the salary of a CEO/President is usually relative to what their product or service makes and this is right in line.

    If you have a gripe with this you should call Michael Moore and have a cry..Capitalism exists in America…hard truth.

  46. The people on hear complaining about this guys salary when there’s so much injustice in the world make me laugh!!

    You’re telling me you’d turn down that salary because of your morals or some sense of duty to the poor and hungry of this world? The hell you would!!

    The guy no doubt worked hard to get to where he is, starting off as an intern, he pays his taxes, he contributes to charities and to society!!

    Well played to him I say. I, like many people on here, am jealous of his money and his lifestyle, but at least I can admit it!

    We can argue about the job that he’s doing till we’re all blue in the face, but don’t act all high and mighty and make out you’re some sort of missionary, saint!!

  47. “Anyone on this site stop watching football yet? Didn’t think so, just finished a great season with two exciting championship games and a great Super Bowl. Lots of great competitive games this year. And my money spent on the NFL ticket was very well spent….and I will be spending that money again next year.”

    Actually, yes I have stopped watching (and spending). And you are just the kind of lemming Goodell is counting on.

  48. Ten/twenty million dollars to oversee a game, thats right, a “game”. Players in this league are playing a “game”. A game for entertainement.

    Do these players and owners and “overseers” deserve more money than people who are really putting their lives on the line for forty, fifty or sixty thousand dollars a year, you know, like policemen, firefighters and military members?

    I love football and most major sports but you won’t see me shelling out hundreds of dollars to go see them in their overpriced stadium surroundings. You, the brainwashed, ticket spending fans are the one who are contributing to the high salaries of these non- heroes.

    My heroes, and my kids’ heroes are nowhere near any, and I mean any, sports personalities.

  49. @ stixzidinia

    So you stopped watching football but you read articles and post comments on Pro Football Talk? By “you are just the kind of lemming Goodell is counting on” do you mean that I am a football fan?

    Ratings and revenue show that more people are watching football than ever before. Even if you have stopped watching and enjoying football (your presence on this site shows me that you have not) the numbers prove that you are the minority. The one stubborn, hard headed fool that can not embrace change. At least the other knuckleheads just complain about it and keep watching. You give up a hobby that you enjoy because you can’t adapt to necessary change.

    The reason Goodell is going to make this money is because his deal is extended, the reason for that is that the people who know the game inside and out (not you, not me) the 32 owners and NFLPA reps know he is doing an amazing job as commish.

    Enjoy not watching football next fall, i’ll let you know how the season ends.

  50. @noquickreactionshere

    Apparently you are not a fan of the game of football since the game of football no longer exists at the NFL level (a product, yes…..product) you have declared your undying love for. And i’m not even talking about player safety. Defense has been completely neutered in order to rig the game toward the offensive side of the ball. Lord knows the ADD American public can’t pay attention to anything for more than 30 seconds so Lord Goodell decreed there be more scoring and more often. And of course fantasy football must be catered to so, again………MORE OFFENSE!! That is not “necessary change”. Say what you will about big money and the NCAA, at least their game is still pure between the white lines.

    It’s amusing that you’d denigrate somebody for choosing not to buy a product despite displeasure with it, and yet you’d praise sheep such as yourself for continuing to bend over and take it up the corn shoot…..and even going so far as to brag about the money you spend doing it.

    And I hate to shatter your little Jim Jones (Goodell) Kool Aid session, but did it ever occur to you that somebody with an emotional investment of many years might still follow the news of the game without watching (or paying) for the product or its associated merchandise? Apparently not.

    You can tout ratings and numbers all you want. Baseball used to be in the same position. The NFL wasn’t always on top and won’t always be on top. I can tell you’re a wee lad who has no understanding or experience with the game over the course of decades like many of the rest of us. You have no frame of reference and, therefore, your opinion is invalid.

    And I challenge you to find one quote by any player extolling the virtues of Roger Goodell. You’ll be looking a while because none exist.

  51. He works for the owners, not the fans. NFL ticket prices are outrageous, but I keep buying them because I like the product and presentation.

    If Goodell can deliver on his story to the NFLPA that total league revenues would nearly double, towards $20 billion annually, over the term of the NFL-NFLPA agreement, Goodell would have earned his $20 million.

  52. ibreathefootball says: Feb 13, 2012 5:14 PM

    Ridiculous, and teachers only make 40k! Goodell shouldn’t get paid a dollar for ruining the rule book!

    WAKE UP WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!
    —————————————————–
    Goodell is well deserving of this deal, Goobs.

  53. goodell4cash says: Feb 13, 2012 6:17 PM

    @noquickreactionshere

    Apparently you are not a fan of the game of football since the game of football no longer exists at the NFL level (a product, yes…..product) you have declared your undying love for. And i’m not even talking about player safety. Defense has been completely neutered in order to rig the game toward the offensive side of the ball. Lord knows the ADD American public can’t pay attention to anything for more than 30 seconds so Lord Goodell decreed there be more scoring and more often. And of course fantasy football must be catered to so, again………MORE OFFENSE!! That is not “necessary change”. Say what you will about big money and the NCAA, at least their game is still pure between the white lines.

    It’s amusing that you’d denigrate somebody for choosing not to buy a product despite displeasure with it, and yet you’d praise sheep such as yourself for continuing to bend over and take it up the corn shoot…..and even going so far as to brag about the money you spend doing it.

    And I hate to shatter your little Jim Jones (Goodell) Kool Aid session, but did it ever occur to you that somebody with an emotional investment of many years might still follow the news of the game without watching (or paying) for the product or its associated merchandise? Apparently not.

    You can tout ratings and numbers all you want. Baseball used to be in the same position. The NFL wasn’t always on top and won’t always be on top. I can tell you’re a wee lad who has no understanding or experience with the game over the course of decades like many of the rest of us. You have no frame of reference and, therefore, your opinion is invalid.

    And I challenge you to find one quote by any player extolling the virtues of Roger Goodell. You’ll be looking a while because none exist.
    —————————————————-
    Goobs, who cares what the players think of Goodell. So many players are of criminal elements, arrests. Lord Goodell has the support of real law abidding Americans. He has made sure the immates don’t run the prison. God bless Commissioner Goodell.

  54. ,
    explain how “He deserves it.”

    if he cut his salary to a measly, Unlivable 1 million then he wouldnt need to push games to be played in London and extend the season….

  55. @ goodell4cash

    “I think he’s done a good job under the circumstances. Since he came in, he has been consistent with how he has approached things. He did a good job with the labor in finding an even deal for it to get done for everybody. Of course, it’s still a work in progress for illegal hits and that stuff, but he has done a good job and he is fair.”—Cowboys TE Jason Witten

    There is your quote, in a mid season survey 55% of the league voted that he was doing a good job 5% voted he was doing and “Excellent” job. While most players do not go on about how great he is the majority of quotes are more like:

    “I say satisfactory because I guess he’s doing his job, but at the same time there’s a lot of things people don’t like about him—a lot of things I don’t agree with. But at the same time, he’s trying to make the game better.”—Redskins LB Brian Orakpo

    A lot (50%) of players say he is doing a poor job, my guess would be these are the James Harrisons of the league who don’t care who they hurt or what the long term effects are. When his brains are mush and he can’t lift a football by age 60 maybe he can look back and think that he should have taken better care of himself… if he can remember playing the game.

    Bottom line is I don’t “degrade” you for not watching football, I just think its silly to give up something you enjoy because you too stubborn to accept change. If you no longer enjoy the game then fine, you can feel free to stop watching. I no longer watch basketball because I find the game very boring. Nothing wrong with that, just a personal opinion. I do however think its funny that you “no longer enjoy the game” but still enjoy reading about it (This is all irrelevant because I don’t for a minute believe that you no longer watch football).

    And how am I “Taking it up the corn shoot” when I am watching a product that I enjoy? I had a blast all season, great playoff run by my team (Baltimore) and had a great time watching the superbowl. I’m not “bragging” about the money I spent, simply explaining that the money was well spent. I enjoyed the product I received so there is no reason to complain about it. If someone does not have the means then they should not spend, if they have the means but do not enjoy the product then they should not spend. Not knocking the person who fits into those categories but simply saying I don’t have a problem with ticket prices, merchandise prices, NFL Sunday ticket prices, or the fact that I need to have Directv to get the NFL ticket. It is all relative like any business (see netflix) if the product is not worth the cost people will stop spending. You can complain about “blackouts” in the NFL but every stadium is near full for every game (at least at kickoff). I’ve been to Camden Yards (Bad product) and seen 8,000-9,000 fans. Would love to see the regular season football game that sold 9,000 tickets…. The product is good, that is why people spend the money on it.

    Also the changes which have taken away from the game (Defenseless receiver is the only one I believe has done so) are necessary and are done to make sure that players are healthy beyond the game. I know you don’t care if player can walk when he is 50 but I’m sure his wife and kids do.

    The rest of the changes are done to make the game more exciting. Godell and the NFL brass realized that fans did not like 9-6 defensive struggles. There is still great Defense, look at the playoffs this year (I don’t believe that you didn’t watch) San Fran takes out New Orleans, G-Men take out Green Bay, Baltimore advances to the Championship game with the 15th ranked O and 3rd ranked D then picks off Brady twice and holds him without a TD. The game is fun, exciting, and still exists. Things change and evolve with time and football is not immune. It is, has been, and always will be a product, no matter if you like that or not. The product has evolved and fits what our society wants.

    So my challenge to you, what “rule change” was not done for player safety? How has this change hurt the game?

    Hint please state a rule change not a bad call by an official.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.