Roger Goodell can become first billionaire commissioner in NFL history after historic expansion decision

The NFL keeps getting richer under longtime commissioner Roger Goodell.

The man who presides over the wealthiest sports league in the world isn’t doing too bad himself.

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Goodell agreed on Sunday to a four-year contract extension that runs through the 2030 season.

With the NFL‘s 2026 campaign scheduled to kick off on Wednesday via a Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, the league’s 32 owners ensured that Goodell will remain the business face of the league into the next decade.

“Throughout the negotiation process, the Committee worked closely with an independent third-party compensation consultant and outside counsel to structure a deal that aligns Roger’s compensation with the League’s long-term interests and success,” New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a message sent to teams.

“To that end, the agreement is heavily performance based, with more than 95 percent of the total compensation tied to Roger’s and the NFL’s performance measured against various metrics and at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. We believe we are very fortunate to have Roger at the helm for the next four years.”

The value of NFL teams has skyrocketed during Goodell’s tenure, which is now set to expire on March 31, 2031.

The Dallas Cowboys are now valued at $15.5 billion and would represent the biggest sale in sports history if Jerry Jones put the team on the market.

The reigning champion Seahawks recently sold for $9.6bn, while the Los Angeles Rams are valued at $12.7bn.

One of Goodell’s biggest moves in recent years has been pushing for international growth and expansion.

The NFL will hold a record nine international games this year, starting with the San Francisco 49ers vs the Rams on Thursday in Melbourne, Australia.

“This has been such a cool experience,” 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey said.

“There’s a lot of question marks when you hear you’re playing in Australia, but since we’ve been here, it’s been so cool. The people are unbelievable. The food’s incredible. The coffee’s great. The atmosphere, you can already feel it. And it’s been a lot of fun, so we’re super fired up we’re here.”

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Goodell took over for former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue on Sept. 1, 2006.

Since then, football has become the most dominant sport in America, while the NFL has moved toward $25bn in annual revenue.

Goodell could break $1bn in career earnings by the end of his new contract.

He’s received five contract extensions from owners (2009, 2012, 2017, 2023, 2026) and will now guide the NFL into a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is set to expire in March 2031.

The NFL could push for an 18th regular-season game — which could have every team play one home or away international game a year — before Goodell leaves the league.

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What’s certain is that the NFL has continued to grow, financially and geographically, during his 20-year tenure.

If that growth continues, Goodell could break $1bn in career earnings while the NFL goes fully global.