Advertisement

How long will Roger Goodell’s tenure as NFL commissioner last? | You Pod To Win The Game

Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein and Frank Schwab discuss Roger Goodell’s contract extension and why the job of NFL commissioner will likely be his for as long as he wants it. Hear the full conversation on You Pod To Win The Game. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

JORI EPSTEIN: Roger Goodell's contract has not yet been extended. He made sure to emphasize that to us when we talked to him on Tuesday. But Jim Irsay, the team owner of the Indianapolis Colts who's always good for some interesting quotes, told us that they were on the verge of a 2027 contract. And he didn't stop there. He started to talk about some interesting league structures of, should we have a commissioner of football and maybe a separate CEO of business, with how big the NFL has grown? And oh, by the way, this could start as soon as 2027, after Roger Goodell's contract. To which one of the reporters asked him is Roger done in 2027?

And I just love this quote, so I'll read it, and then I want to hear your thoughts, Frank. When he was asked is 2027 it for Roger, Jim said, "You know, apparently. But you never know. You guys have seen some comebacks from Ali and Brady and different people. Roger is in great shape and loves what he does. But we're both the same age. He's 63. I'm 63. We're a couple of months apart. He's worked so hard."

So Frank, do you think that Roger Goodell is no longer commissioner in 2027?

FRANK SCHWAB: At some point, Roger Goodell is just going to say, you know what? I've had my time. I want to retire. It wouldn't shock me, I mean, just because he's going to be, again, 66, 67.

I don't think the league structure ever changes. I really don't. I get what Jim Irsay is saying, but there's always going to be a commissioner. There's always got to be one guy. Now whether you add additional people to handle the business stuff, to handle the football stuff. They already kind of do that, though, right? Like, Troy Vincent is kind of the commissioner of football, like, if we're looking at the league structure that way.

I don't think that's ever really going to change, no matter what Jim Irsay is saying. You might add people, but there's always going to be one guy who kind of, honestly, takes the slings and the arrows from everybody, from the owners. I mean, that's what Roger Goodell does really, really well.

We think, maybe, that Roger Goodell has not been a great commissioner, whatever, however we grade him. I think the owners really love him. He makes them money. He makes sure that he takes on all the criticism. He's good for them. And if he wants to keep going after these three years, I think the owners would be fine with it. I think for them, he's a really good commissioner.