Who Is NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Why Do Fans Boo Him?
By this point, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell knows what to expect. When he comes on stage in downtown Detroit to start the 2024 NFL Draft, it will be Michiganders’ turn to continue what has become a football tradition: Booing the boss.
Goodell has received a chorus of taunts at the start of every NFL Draft since taking over the job in 2006. It has picked up since the draft started going on the road in 2017, with Philadelphia treating him to a signature welcome.
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Goodell leaned into the fun that year, and has continued to embrace the practice. When the NFL Draft went virtual in 2020, the league even teamed up with Bud Light to let fans #BooTheCommish from home.
While certain fanbases have had particular nits to pick with Roger over the years, booing the commissioner—across sports—has become a common way to vent the frustration that comes with being a sports fan. It is, quite literally, a way to have your voice heard.
But you’re unlikely to see any NFL team owners joining in the jeering, as Goodell has overseen extensive growth for the league on its march toward a revenue target of $25 billion annually by 2027.
And don’t feel too bad for the guy. It’s all part of the job, one that has paid Goodell handsomely over the years. Here’s what else fans need to know about the enduring star of the world’s most-watched HR event.
Why does everyone hate Roger Goodell?
First off, a quibble with the supposition: not everyone dislikes Goodell. In a 2021 survey conducted by Harris Poll in collaboration with Sportico, Goodell notched a 57% favorability rating, though that was considerably lower than respondents’ opinion of the league overall.
Over the years, Goodell has been the face of a number of controversies, from the league’s handling of instances of domestic violence by players to its response to Colin Kaepernick and others’ on-field protests. He has also been criticized for stances toward player health and safety as well as officiating changes.
Goodell drew particular ire in 2016, when his answer to a question about the safety of youth football included his assertion that, “There’s risk in life. There’s risk in sitting on the couch.”
In part, being the public face for those types of debates is an aspect of a commissioner’s job, as they answer to the team owners who determine who sits in the league’s top chair.
How much money does Roger Goodell make in salary?
Roger Goodell made roughly $64 million per year from 2019 to 2021, according to a report from The New York Times. He has now likely earned more than $500 million over the course of his career, making his publicly rumored estimated net worth of $200 million seem excessively conservative.
In October, Goodell’s latest extension was finalized, keeping him under contract through March 2027.
“It is not going to change how I am approaching my day-to-day job and it has not to date, so it has very little impact as far as I am concerned,” Goodell said at the time.
When did Roger Goodell become commissioner?
Roger Goodell was unanimously selected to be the next NFL commissioner in 2006, replacing Paul Tagliabue, who had been NFL commissioner before Goodell, dating back to 1989.
Goodell would have to serve until 2035, however, if he hopes to top Pete Rozelle as the league’s longest-tenured commissioner.
When Goodell took over, the average NFL team was worth $898 million; that has ballooned to $5.14 billion, as of 2023. If Goodell hopes to own a club one day, he better keep working.
Did Roger Goodell play football?
Yes—in high school. Goodell was a three-sport contributor in football, basketball and baseball for Westchester County’s Bronxville High School. A knee injury reportedly cut his athletic ambitions short.
“If there is ever a regret in my life, it’s not playing college football,” Goodell once told writer Gary Myers.
Instead, Goodell, the son of former U.S. Senator Charles Ellsworth Goodell, pursued a business career in football, starting as an administrative intern at the NFL’s headquarters. He became executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2001, setting himself up to be Tagliabue’s successor.
How can I email Roger Goodell?
To contact Goodell, you can try guessing his e-mail address (roger.goodell@nfl.com has been used in the past), though you shouldn’t expect a response. You could also go for an old-fashioned handwritten letter to the league’s offices at 345 Park Avenue in New York City. If Goodell doesn’t see the note, maybe the future commissioner working in the mail room will.
But if you want to make sure Goodell hears you, your best bet is showing up on the first night of the draft and booing your lungs out.
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