Could pocket $200M
collective bargaining negotiations — the deal expires after the 2020 season — so they felt they had to get his deal wrapped up now.
The owners believed it was a market value deal. “We are pleased to report that there is a nearly unanimous consensus among the ownership in favor of signing the contract extension now,” the six-owner compensation committee wrote in a letter to all owners.
Goodell’s deal now runs through March of 2024 — he will be 65 then — and tops out at $200 million if he hits his incentives, which account for 90% of the contract. The Twitterverse is reacting to the $200 million, which is $65 million more than Matthew Stafford’s league high five-year, $135 million deal.
Unlike Goodell’s previous contracts, however, the bonuses will not be decided solely by the compensation committee, chaired by Atlanta’s Arthur Blank. Several different ownership committees each will be assigned to evaluate an aspect of Goodell’s performance and decide the additional compensation.
He doesn’t have to beat Peyton Manning’s record 55 touchdown passes or Eric Dickerson’s record 2,105 rushing yards to add to the $4 million a year in base pay, but he has to avoid fiascoes, like the way he handled Ray Rice and Tom Brady. He’s been earning around $30 million to $40 million under his current contract. All he essentially has to do to hit that again is continue to put lots of money in billionaire’s pockets.
“Each year the owners will decide on Roger’s bonuses,” the insider said. “The base is $4 million. If every metric and every bonus is met, he can make up to $200 million. It’s unlikely he will get $200 million. It’s based on television ratings, revenue to the league, the details of the new collective bargaining agreement and other items such as the league’s reputation and its direction. It will be voted on by various committees each year. In the past, the bonuses were certain. The bonuses are less certain than in previous contracts.”
The insider continued, “The question is what kind of year the league is having. How the league is doing reflects on Roger and vice versa. From a revenue standpoint and profitability and the value of franchise, the last 12 months have been excellent. There’s been bad news from some of the licenses on merchandise sales, especially for the holiday season.”
The biggest controversy this season has been the anthem protest. Goodell was in a precarious spot. If he backed the players, which he has for the most part, although he’s been clear he wants them to stand, then he turns off some fans. If he orders the players to stand, then he faces major pushback.
“Where it’s been a bad year has been when the league has been thrust into the political vortex,” the insider said. “The NFL is not a political or social organization. It’s fundamentally a sports organization. The fundamental principle in business is don’t insult the customers. The players forgot or didn’t care about it.” n the second week of the season, fewer than 10 players kneeled for the national anthem. Two days before the third weekend, Donald Trump called any players who don’t stand “sons of bitches.” That weekend, more than 200 players did not stand for the anthem.
“Donald Trump lit the match,” the source said. “It turned out the gasoline was always there.”
Goodell has made about $200 million in his first 12 seasons as NFL commissioner. He now has a chance to make another $200 million, without the risk of CTE.
ILUIZ C. RIBEIRO/ NEWS