The crowd booed commissioner Roger Goodell. It was the annual greeting to kick off the NFL Draft, as it does every year.
In the midst of the booing, he revealed some news that he could sign an extension to continue his role.
However, when asked about it specifically, he didn’t give a direct answer.
“The good news is I love the job and I love what I’m doing,” Goodell told Sports Business Daily. “We have talked about an extension and we’ll work towards that. If that’s possible, then great. If not, I’ve been really fortunate to be in this job. I’ve loved every day of it. I would love every day that I’m in it, but I don’t really think about the tenure. I think about the progress and the important challenges we have ahead.”
It sounds like there isn’t anything at the finish line yet, and made it clear there’s a possibility both sides don’t come to an agreement.
Last month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported NFL owners were nearing completion of a multi-year deal with the original contract set to expire in March of 2024.
The owners, who were supposed to approve the deal at last month’s owner’s meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., voted 31-1 in October to authorize the league’s compensation committee to negotiate a deal with Goodell.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was the sole voter who didn’t approve. It’s not surprising, of course, it’s been well-reported Jones isn’t a fan of Goodell.
Back in 2017 when Goodell signed a five-year deal, Jones wanted to restructure the contract to make it more performance-based as opposed to having it a majority salary.
Despite the boos, Goodell has put new rules in place including a renewed NFL collective bargaining agreement, landed long-term deals with broadcasting partners, and we can all agree the popularity of the NFL is second to none.
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.