Who Is The Current NFL Commissioner?
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The current NFL Commissioner is Roger Goodell. He was elected in 2006, and his term will expire in 2023.
Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell is the current NFL Commissioner, elected in 2006. He has a background in business and law, which has helped him in his role as Commissioner. He has been credited with helping to grow the NFL’s popularity, and has overseen some changes to the game that have been criticized by some.
Early life and education
Roger Goodell was born in Jamestown, New York, on February 19, 1959. He is the son of Jane (née Blake) and Charles Ellsworth Goodell. His ancestry includes English, Irish, Scottish, Swedish and Dutch. Goodell attended Bronxville High School in Bronxville, where he played football and baseball. In 1977 he graduated from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
NFL career
Roger Goodell began working for the National Football League in 1982, after graduating from college. He became the NFL’s executive vice president of operations in 2001. In 2006, he was elected as the NFL’s ninth commissioner.
As commissioner, Goodell has made player safety a priority. He helped to develop new rules to make the game safer, including a rule that penalized players for leading with their helmets while making a tackle. He has also worked to improve the league’s concussion protocol.
In addition to player safety, Goodell has also focused on making the game more accessible to fans. He has worked to expand the NFL’s reach through international games and partnerships, and he has made changes to the league’s television contracts that have increased the amount of football that fans can watch.
Goodell has also been involved in several controversies during his tenure as commissioner. Perhaps the most notable was “Deflategate,” in which New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was accused of intentionally deflating footballs to make them easier to throw and catch. Brady was suspended for four games as a result of the investigation, but he eventually won an appeal and had his suspension overturned.
Goodell’s NFL legacy
Roger Goodell has been the NFL commissioner for over a decade now, and he has overseen some of the league’s biggest changes. He has been a controversial figure, but there is no doubt that he has left his mark on the NFL. Let’s take a look at Goodell’s NFL legacy.
The “Goodell Rule”
In an effort to prevent another blown call like the one that occurred during the 2012 NFC Wild Card game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins, then-NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell instituted a new rule that would require all plays to be reviewed by officials in a central location. The “Goodell Rule” was met with mixed reactions, as some felt it was a necessary change while others believed it would slow down the game too much.
The “Deflategate” scandal
The “Deflategate” scandal was a controversy involving the National Football League (NFL), Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, and the investigation that led to Brady’s four-game suspension for his role in using underinflated footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship Game.
The scandal put Goodell’s leadership of the NFL under intense scrutiny, and he was sharply criticized for his handling of the situation. Some critics called for Goodell to resign, while others called for him to be removed from his position as commissioner.
The “National Anthem” protests
In 2016, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick caused a stir when he refused to stand for the “Star-Spangled Banner” before games, instead choosing to take a knee in protest of what he viewed as police brutality and racial inequality in the United States. Kaepernick’s silent protest quickly caught on with other players in the league, and even spread to players in other sports.
The following year, President Donald Trump reignited the controversy when he called on NFL owners to fire any “son of a bitch” who dared to kneel during the anthem. Trump’s comments sparked mass protests across the NFL, with hundreds of players taking a knee or otherwise demonstrating during the anthem over the course of the 2017 season.
In response to the protests, Goodell instituted a new rule requiring all players and personnel to stand for the anthem or stay in the locker room until it was finished. However, after backlash from both players and fans, Goodell announced in July 2019 that the league would put the rule on hold while they negotiated with the NFLPA on a new policy.
Where is Goodell now?
Goodell, who is now 64 years old, has been the commissioner of the NFL since 2006, when he took over for Paul Tagliabue. Goodell was born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, and he is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College and Boston College Law School. He and his wife, Jane, have five children.
Goodell’s current salary
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s current salary is $40 million per year, which he has been paid since 2012. This makes him the highest-paid commissioner in professional sports. In addition to his salary, Goodell also receives a $4 million annual bonus, anduse of a private jet.
Goodell’s future with the NFL
After a long and successful career as the NFL Commissioner, Goodell’s future with the NFL is uncertain. His contract expires in March of 2019, and it is unclear if he will sign a new contract or retire. Goodell has been a controversial figure during his tenure as Commissioner, but he has also been credited with growing the league to new heights. Whatever the future holds for Goodell, he will always be remembered as one of the most successful Commissioners in NFL history.