New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady delivered a classic reaction when asked about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s five-year, $200 million contract extension. “Maybe he’ll take me out to dinner sometime,” Brady joked during a Westwood One radio interview. Last season, Brady was suspended by Goodell for four games for his part in Deflategate, but the veteran quarterback still led the Patriots to their fifth Super Bowl title with an overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons. Brady said Goodell’s contract shows that the business side of the NFL is doing well.
“That’s a lot of money and obviously NFL business is going well. He can pick up a lot of checks now,” said Brady.
Goodell will earn $40 million annually
Adam Schefter of ESPN said Goodell’s contract will run through the 2023 season. It could reach $200 million due to potential bonuses if he meets certain financial targets. The extension has a base salary at $4 million, but Goodell could earn up to $30 million from bonuses and $40 million annually if he hits all the targets. Since he was appointed commissioner in 2006, Goodell earned $212.5 million during his first 10 years on the job. When Goodell took over in 2006, Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes.com said the average NFL franchise was worth $898 million.
After 10 years, NFL teams are now valued at an average of $2.5 billion, with profits of $101 million.
Jones tried to block Goodell’s deal
Earlier, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones tried to stall the NFL owners’ move to sign Goodell to an extension for six months, according to Seth Wickersham of ESPN. Wickersham said Jones filed a resolution urging fellow team owners to table contract talks for six months.
However, he got only five owners to side with him during voting done through secret ballot, paving the way for Goodell to sign the deal.
Jones and Goodell have butted heads recently due to the six-game suspension of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott for domestic violence allegations. The pair also clashed on the issue of player demonstrations during the national anthem, with the Cowboys owner believing that players should be punished for disrespecting the flag.
However, Goodell believes that players should be allowed to express their views. Jones insisted that Goodell’s decision to allow players to protest is affecting the NFL’s viewership and its profitability. Despite the dip in viewership, US wireless carrier Verizon signed a five-year deal with the NFL worth approximately $2.5 billion, sources told ESPN.
