Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019

Goodell should be all smiles with his new five-year extension. (Getty Images)

By Will Brinson

Football is more popular than ever and Commissioner Roger Goodell deserves a lot of the credit for that. The owners apparently believe so too, as they extended Goodell's contract for five more years, through March of 2019.

The news, as first reported by Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal, means that Goodell will remain the NFL's commissioner through the 2018 season.

"It is a privilege for me to serve the NFL," Goodell said in a statement. "It is the only place I have ever wanted to work. I am grateful for the contributions and counsel of NFL owners in managing our league, the talented staff that supports us, and the players and coaches that perform their magic on the field. It is truly a team effort. I am eagerly looking ahead to the challenge of building on our momentum and doing all we can to improve our game for the fans and everyone that is part of our league."

Goodell took over for Paul Tagliabue in 2006 and his original five-year contract was extended in 2009 through 2014.

"I speak on behalf of 32 NFL club owners in saying we are fortunate to have Roger Goodell as our commissioner," Falcons owner and Chairman of the Competition Committee Arthur Blank said. "Since becoming commissioner in 2006, the NFL -- already the leader in professional sports -- has gotten even stronger. As evidenced by this contract extension, we have great confidence in Roger's vision and leadership of the NFL. Our clubs, players and fans could not ask for a better CEO."

Highlights of Goodell's tenure include a 10-year labor agreement, a rise in popularity of the NFL, a new merchandise agreement with Nike that begins in 2012, bananas television ratings, and new television contracts. Additionally, the league has placed an emphasis on player safety and expanded the league's popularity to Europe.

"I speak on behalf of 32 NFL club owners in saying we are fortunate to have Roger Goodell as our commissioner," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement, via Breer.

The NFL, despite suffering through a lengthy lockout in the offseason, had one of the most successful years in league history in 2011. There's little question that professional football will continue to grow and Goodell, who's been a major part of the NFL's success over the past half decade, will continue to help it do so.

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Serphnx Since: Sep 25, 2009	Posted on: January 26, 2012 1:11 pm Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 He is terrible. The machine has been built up so much that it's difficult to get it to fail, despite this guy's best efforts. However it's dangerous to think that will continue. Steve Jobs is dead but Apple is still reaching new heights. Do you give most of the credit to the new guy, or do you admit Jobs built something that continues on after he's gone? I don't know who the new guy is, but I'm sure he's more capable than Goodell is. Goodell reminds me more of AOL and EA getting run into the ground. It takes awhile but if you actually follow the fields and understand them you see the chinks showing up in the armor. If a lot of what Goodell wants to do happens, he'll manage to crush the NFL. People seem to have short memories. Baseball and Basketball were far more popular than football was about 2 decades ago. A decade ago the NHL looked like it'd become really popular too. They all turned around the wrong way because of rampant stupidity and greed, largely from their commissioners who couldn't figure out how to balance the players and the owners interests with the fans. Goodell is in that same mold. If he starts putting in things like an 18 game season while adding teams in Europe and screwing with the playoff system the NFL can fall too. Historically, the most popular sports have always been combat based. The Greeks had wrestling, the Romans had the coliseum, the world had boxing (and soccer/rugby which the fans mostly just fought), professional wrestling in the 80s and now we're seeing MMA, with UFC getting onto Fox and getting more mainstream by the day. There are always other sports and other interests. [ Reply to Comment ]
chickenboy Since: Apr 15, 2007	Posted on: January 26, 2012 11:52 am Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 The death of what I used to call "NFL football" now seems inevitable. The slippery slope has been fast-tracked into a vertical sheet of ice. RIP NFL. On the plus side, this should free me up to get off my fat-arse and go play flag-football on Sunday, as I have no real desire to watch it... [ Reply to Comment ]
spiralarchitech Since: Jul 29, 2009	Posted on: January 26, 2012 9:11 am Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 Nothing against Roger. I'm happy we had football this year.The only thing they need to do is revise the equipment. Somewhere on this planet or elsewhere, someone has to make a helmut to control the head injuries and whip lash. Growing up as a kid I was told the DEFINITION OF FOOTBALL WAS" 60 MINUTES OF LEGAL VIOLENCE" and thats why we watch. Just like NASCAR we watch for the crashes. We all want this back, but not at the cost of permanent injury.The union and the league need to SPEND on research to save not only football but hockey too. [ Reply to Comment ]
Montweet Since: Aug 19, 2011	Posted on: January 26, 2012 8:26 am Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 Goodell doesn't arbitrarily make the rules or change the rules, but simply enforces them? Two points. A Commissioners number one responsibility is to advocate for what is in the best interest of his sport. If that means speaking truth to power, the owners, then he should. If he is either too timid or too stupid (as Goodell appears to be), then he's a useless cardboard figurehead. The owners might as well hire a celebrity spokesman to be their mouthpiece. Let Harrison Ford be the commissioner if all he's going to do is read Jerry Jones' script. The second point is that Goodell even screws up the enforcement responsibility. His punishments seem arbitrary, unfair and inconsistent. So even this little bit of responsibility, he can't handle. I would contend the owners know he is a dolt. That's why they love him. He's a malleable, compliant, good-dog. Knowing this, they only let him have a tiny bit of responsibility. [ Reply to Comment ]
ragingbull03 Since: Nov 16, 2010	Posted on: January 26, 2012 8:07 am Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 This Guy is Horrible.... I mean horrible.... [ Reply to Comment ]
cindygotti Since: Jan 5, 2012	Posted on: January 26, 2012 6:52 am Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 UGH!! Bring TAGS back! [ Reply to Comment ]
phillipstitans Since: Oct 24, 2011	Posted on: January 26, 2012 1:12 am Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 All I can say is that I love NFL Football, warts and all. Goodell might not have been my first choice, but it's hard to argue from a business standpoint that he has been a successful Commissioner. I think that continuity is a good thing right now and go with the guy that got you here rather than look for some unknown quantity. It's a tough job to be the face of 32 owners (well 31 and the Packers Non-Profit Corp) but Goodell has done more good than bad. I like that he is holding players more accountable for their off the field antics. Bottom line there is no better way to spend a weekend than watching football. When does training camp start? I can't wait till next season. LOL [ Reply to Comment ]
David0613 Since: Mar 8, 2008	Posted on: January 25, 2012 11:41 pm Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 Do you nitwits understand that Goodell doesn't arbitrarily make the rules or change the rules, but simply enforces them? Do you understand that there is a rules committee and that every change is closely coordinated across the league with owners and the players' union's representatives until agreements are reached? Do you understand that the Commissioner works for the owners and decisions out of his office are always subject to review by his bosses and he only stays in the job if they are happy with his performance? He executes what they decide they want done with their league. Their money; their league. Now, it is true that the Commissioner is paid to be the face of the league and, therefore, takes the heat from the shallow-thinkers who don't understand, or can't grasp, how the league is organized. So...have at it. LOL. [ Reply to Comment ]
Whitebread Since: Jan 7, 2009	Posted on: January 25, 2012 11:34 pm Roger Goodell gets five-year extension to 2019 So instead of having a person in charge that is actually looking out for the league, the owners signed Goodell. How sad. It use to be that the commissioners of the major sports leagues, had the best interests of their sports, at heart. Now all they are, are little yes men for the owners. You just watch, it won't be 2 weeks after the Super Bowl when Goodell will try to tell the world, again, that everybody wants an 18 game schedule. He's been saying that since the CBA was signed. Try looking out for the sport that you profess to love. Not just pushing the owners agenda. [ Reply to Comment ]
talllonggirl Since: Jan 25, 2012	Posted on: January 25, 2012 10:25 pm This comment has been removed. Post Deleted by Administrator

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