PITTSBURGH — My first assignment at the late, great Pittsburgh Press was a feature story on fellow Beaver Falls man Joe Walton, then the first-year head coach of the New York Jets. It was October 1983. Back then, NFL clubs treated out-of-town media as visiting royalty. The Jets assigned me a young intern, not long out of Washington and Jefferson College. He facilitated all of my interviews. He made sure I had all the information I needed. He even was my chauffeur.
You might have heard of him.
Roger Goodell.
Yes, I know the brutal truth:
One of us made it big, the other one not so much.
I never imagined Goodell would become the most powerful man in the world in sports. He was back in the news Monday when ESPN reported he is about to sign another contract extension as NFL commissioner, a position he has held since 2006. He is expected to get a raise over the nearly $64 million he made in each of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
I'm sad to report I make just a little less.
Don't get the wrong idea, though. I'm not the least bit jealous of Goodell. I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority of people who think he is worth every penny.
Pete Rozelle always will be regarded as the NFL's greatest commissioner. He was instrumental in turning an ordinary sports league into the national pastime. But Goodell is right there with him as an administrative giant. He has helped the NFL become an indestructible behemoth, a $17 billion-a-year industry that dominates the sports world year-round.
Damn right, give the man a raise!
Goodell hasn't been perfect. He has had a couple of major missteps. Spygate comes to mind. So does the handling of the Ray Rice domestic-abuse suspension. There have been other controversies. The hiring of minorities to front office and coaching positions is one. The concussion issue is another. The national anthem fiasco is a third.
But overall, Goodell has done fabulous work. He helped negotiate a contentious new collective bargaining agreement with the players in 2020 that assures labor peace through the 2030 season. He helped orchestrate a new media rights agreement with CBS, Fox, ESPN and Amazon television for $110 billion in 2021. He made sure, against overwhelming odds, that the NFL played every game during the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of that makes for a terrific resume.
I've always admired Goodell's ability to find a consensus on tough issues with the 32 billionaire owners, all of whom are used to doing things their way. I hear people say any good attorney could pull that off and have the NFL in the same position, but I have my doubts. It seems like such an impossible job.
There have been reports that Jerry Jones and Daniel Snyder wanted to see Goodell fired. But the other owners had his back. Apparently, they still are guarding it diligently. They wouldn't be willing to pay him — what? — $70 million a year if they thought anyone could do the job.
Sure, the owners love the money Goodell has helped them make. But they also love that he, as the recognized point man and face of the NFL, is willing to take all of the criticism directed at it.
From fans.
From media.
From the players, who generally have no use for him because of his handling of league discipline.
Goodell is 64. He loves the job, and the salary and power that go with it. He is showing no signs of slowing down.
Good for Goodell.
Good for the NFL.
Do I know how to pick a chauffeur or what?
