By Joshua Stewart.
Twitter: @JoshStewart47
Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the National Football League, has signed a three-year contract extension. This will see him remain in his current role until March of 2027.
The 64-year-old has been in the position since 2006, overseeing 17 years at the head of the organisation.
His time in charge has seen the NFL grow in strength as under Goodell, the economic strength has grown thanks to new ideas such as the NFL Network which has brought in new money to the league.
Goodell was also responsible for the settlement with former NFL players over head injuries and he oversaw the fund that acted as compensation to those affected by their head injuries.
His time has not been without controversy however. During Deflategate, the name given to the episode in which the New England Patriots were accused of deflating matchday footballs in order to give themselves a competitive edge, Goodell came under heavy criticism for his heavy punishment of Tom Brady and also his handling of the case.
Accusations of conflicts of interest, power plays and arrogance were all levied at the commissioner during the court proceedings.
He also received pressure from the media due to his response to Colin Kaepernick, at the time a quarterback for the San Francsico 49ers, kneeling during the national anthem to protest against police brutality and for racial equality.
Goodell then brought in a league-wide ban on players who knelt during the national anthem. He amended his position on this policy to a more inclusive view though in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
There is no doubting that Goodell has helped grow the NFL, with its revenue at an all time high than under any other commissioner. This was exemplified by the sale of the Washington Commanders franchise that was sold for just over six billion dollars early in 2023.
