Roger Goodell is waiting for a contract extension from NFL owners that will keep him as the league’s commissioner for the foreseeable future. It seemed a deal was on the verge of happening, but now one owner is standing his ground and holding up proceedings: Jerry Jones.
Jerry Jones is trying to stop Roger Goodell’s contract extension, per report
There’s a lot going on here.
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James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Jones is not a member of the NFL’s compensation committee, which is responsible for extending Goodell’s deal, but he has injected himself into the process and slowed it down, according to a report from ESPN. A source familiar with the matter told ESPN just how influential Jones’ involvement has been.
“If not for Jerry, this deal would be done.”
Goodell’s contract expires in 2019 and many assumed an extension would be in place before the season began. Now the negotiations have hit a snag. It’s believed Jones is operating as a seventh voice on the committee, standing for the 26 owners not represented on the committee and reportedly believes the commissioner should take a pay cut.
One source even countered, insisting, “This is about money and a guy (Goodell) making way too much money on a grossly stupid contract for the job.”
The initial reaction is to assume Jones is standing up for fans who hate the direction of the NFL under Goodell’s leadership, but that’s not the case. Owners are happy with the commissioner, they just want him to make less money.
“Jerry’s not saying, ‘Don’t hire Roger.’ He’s saying, ‘I hate this (proposed) deal, redo it,’” said one source.
Neither Jones nor the NFL is commenting on the report, and it’s unlikely any contract snag will result in Goodell not being the commissioner in the future — but debates are being had internally on whether Goodell is making more money than he deserves.
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