Tag: Goodell

Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks to the media at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Roger Goodell: Bill Belichick will become Hall of Famer

Posted on | by Field Level Media

SAN JOSE, Calif. — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believes Bill Belichick belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, though the league has no official role in candidates reaching Canton.

“Bill Belichick’s record goes without saying, same with the Patriots and Robert Kraft, who is also a candidate. They are spectacular. They have contributed so much to this game, and I believe they will be Hall of Famers,” Goodell said Monday.

Belichick won a record six Super Bowl titles as head coach of the Patriots. He was fired after the 2022 season and replaced by Jerod Mayo as head coach in New England.

Goodell said “we’re not involved in it” when prodded for his take on how Belichick could not be a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection in the 2026 class that will be named officially on Thursday night during the NFL Honors program and enshrined in a ceremony in Canton in August.

The Hall of Fame operates independently of the league with a committee untethered by NFL preferences.

Belichick was up for selection alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft and senior player candidates: Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, 49ers running back Roger Craig and Steelers defensive end L.C. Greenwood.

Public speculation surrounded voters not supporting Belichick because of the 2007 Spygate scandal and the Deflategate drama that resulted in a suspension for quarterback Tom Brady.

–Field Level Media

Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pose for a photograph at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Roger Goodell talks controversies surrounding NFL in state of the league address

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell tackled a multitude of controversies surrounding the league Monday including New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch’s appearance in the Epstein Files, the league’s ongoing diversity problems in the coaching system and Bill Belichick’s recent Hall of Fame snub during his state of the league address Monday in San Jose, Calif.

Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks is Sunday in nearby Santa Clara.

Goodell was asked multiple times about Tisch reportedly being mentioned more than 400 times in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Tisch often had interactions with Epstein about various women in files released publicly.

He was very brief with the comments each time, but Goodell indicated the league would investigate if needed.

“Absolutely we are going to look at all the facts,” Goodell said. “We’re going to look at the context and try to understand that. We’ll look at how that falls under the policy. I think we take one step at a time. Let’s get the facts first.”

The emails, which were sent in 2013, were released Friday by the Department of Justice among 3.5 million documents related to Epstein’s sex trafficking case and were first reported on by The Athletic.

The NFL had 10 head-coaching vacancies this season and nine of them went to white men. The one minority hire was Robert Saleh by the Tennessee Titans. He’s Lebanese and also has previously been a head coach with the New York Jets

“Teams are trying to get the coach they think will help them win,” Goodell.
The Rooney Rule has been in place since 2003 and it requires teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coaching positions and for some executive roles.

Goodell was asked about the possibility that some NFL teams might satisfy the Rooney Rule when they have no intention of hiring a minority candidate.

“I would dispute the context of the question,” Goodell said. “I think the Rooney Rule has been seen as a positive by our clubs by giving them an opportunity to look at a diverse set of candidates.

“They make the choice, ultimately, but I think it has shown them the value of looking at talent where you might not know it or might not see it.”

As for recent reports that Belichick won’t be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, Goodell said the former Patriots head coach should be a clear entrant.

“He’s the second winningest coach in NFL football and six Super Bowls as a head coach and two as a defensive coordinator, that’s a Hall of Fame career,” Goodell said. “Bill Belichick deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

Goodell emphasized that the NFL has nothing to do with the voting process.

Goodell was asked about the reported sale of the Seahawks and he said the trust of the late Paul Allen requires the team to be sold. Owner Jody Allen is handling that.

“Eventually the team will need to be solid in accordance of that (trust). It will be Jody’s decision on when she does that and we will be supportive of that.”

Goodell said reports that the Seahawks were fined $5 million for failing to be in compliance with league ownership requirements were “not true.”

–Goodell praised the level of officiating and said he’s not sure the league has ever seen higher quality.

“I’m so amazed at how good our officials are,” Goodell said. “These guys have to make a split-second decision. They have proven over and over they are very wonderful at what they do … it’s a difficult sport to officiate. It’s fast, it’s quick and we have to use technology to prevent the obvious errors.

“I think replay assist has been a terrific advance and we need to expand on it.

–The NFL will host nine international games in 2026 across four continents. London will host three games. Landing one game each will be Paris, Madrid, Munich, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Melbourne. The New Orleans Saints will play in Paris and the Los Angeles Rams will play in Australia.

“We’re hearing from cities all over the world who want to host these games,” Goodell said. “They want to get more American football.”

Goodell said his goal is to annually have 16 international games so every NFL team is playing in one.

–Goodell said there hasn’t been much dialogue with the NFL Players Association about expanding the season by one game to 18.

“We have not had any formal discussion and, frankly, very little informal discussion,” Goodell said. “It’s not a given that we’ll do that. It’s not something we assume will happen.”

–Goodell said security for the game is tight but normal for Super Bowls. He also thinks halftime performer Bad Bunny will put on a good show.

“This platform is used to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity and their talents and to be able to use this moment to do that,” Goodell said. “I think artists in the past have done that and I think he will have a great performance.”

–Field Level Media

New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, right, on the field before the Giants face the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. Nfl Ny Giants Vs Dallas Cowboys Cowboys At Giants

NFL to ‘get facts’ before investigating Giants’ co-owner over Epstein allegations

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch’s alleged connection with Jeffrey Epstein is not yet the subject of an NFL investigation, but commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is “looking into” the facts around the files released by the U.S. Justice Department regarding Epstein in which Tisch’s name is mentioned more than 400 times.

Goodell, speaking at the State of the League address on Monday afternoon, said he was aware of Tisch being named in the documents as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

“Absolutely we will look at all the facts. We’ll look at the context of those and try to understand that,” Goodell said. “We’ll look at how that falls under the (league personal conduct) policy. I think we’ll take one step at a time. Let’s get the facts first.”

Tisch said last week he never went to the disgraced “Epstein Island” location in the Caribbean but admitted he exchanged messages with and knew Epstein.

“We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy and investments,” Tisch said Friday in response to the release of the files. “I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.”

The NFL issued a statement earlier Monday but did not reveal any knowledge of Tisch or other franchise owners who might have been affiliated with Epstein, who died in a jail cell of an apparent suicide one month after he was charged in July 2019 with sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.

“The league is aware of the reports and Steve’s response. Our office will look into the matter to understand the facts,” the NFL said earlier Monday in a statement.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell watches during an NFL International Series game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Roger Goodell confirms NFL returning to Mexico City in 2026

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the league will return to Mexico City in 2026, confirming the next game at Estadio Azteca, as the venue nears completion of its World Cup renovation.

“We’ll be back in Mexico City next year, which we’re thrilled about,” the commissioner said at the Leaders in Sport conference in London, marking the league’s first on-the-record timetable for a Mexico game since the stadium closed for upgrades.

The commitment aligns with Azteca’s planned reopening ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico City officials have said that the revamped stadium will be ready in early 2026, following a multi-year overhaul to meet FIFA standards. That construction forced the NFL to pause its Mexico games from 2023 through 2025.

Estadio Azteca last hosted the NFL in 2022, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 on Monday Night Football. The league had staged multiple regular-season matchups there across the past two decades, including the landmark 2005 game that marked the first NFL regular-season contest played outside the United States.

Specifics for the 2026 return — date, teams and broadcast details — will be announced at a later date. But Goodell’s confirmation formalizes what had been widely anticipated once Azteca’s timeline firmed up. The venue’s upgrades include revamped player facilities and hospitality areas, along with seating changes tied to World Cup hosting.

–Field Level Media

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during the 2024 NFL Draft Celebration at Campus Martius Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 14, 2022. Dfp Nfl Draft Party

Goodell: NFL’s media-rights talks could start as soon as 2026

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The NFL is weighing an early restart to its media-rights talks as soon as 2026, Commissioner Roger Goodell told CNBC.

The league’s existing package, signed in 2021, spans 11 years and is valued at $111 billion. It includes an NFL opt-out after the 2029-30 season for all partners except Disney, whose deal runs one year longer.

Any acceleration would require buy-in from its current partners — Disney/ESPN, NBCUniversal, Paramount/CBS, Amazon, and Fox — but could unlock billions in additional revenue.

Goodell said that the league built flexibility into the contracts to respond to a rapidly shifting marketplace.

“The reason why we felt so strongly about the option is the landscape is changing,” Goodell said. “It could be a long-term deal with the benefit of having that stability and security of it. But I think the reality of it is it changes so quickly that you want to have the ability to move. I think those options are going to give us a lot of flexibility to potentially go earlier,”

” … Obviously it’s not going to happen this year. But it could happen as early as next year.”

NFL games continue to dominate linear TV. According to Nielsen data, 72 of last year’s top 100 telecasts were NFL contests (93 the year prior). That leverage, combined with recent rights jumps for the NBA and NHL, has the league evaluating whether it’s missing an opportunity to capitalize on more revenue.

Any 2026 timeline faces hurdles. ESPN’s pending transaction to sell a 10 percent stake to the NFL could complicate negotiations until it’s resolved. Separately, the league has discussed adding an 18th regular-season week — a move that would require NFLPA approval and could shape the scale and structure of future packages. The NFL also wants headroom to incorporate emerging distributors; YouTube carried a Week 1 game this season, and Netflix debuted with Christmas Day matchups last year and will add two more this year.

Beyond network lineups, earlier renewals would send ripple effects throughout the economics of football. A richer deal would be expected to push the salary cap higher in future years and support continued growth in franchise valuation.

–Field Level Media

Former NFL Coache Jon Gruden have a laugh while attending an NFL training camp session ten at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jon Gruden wins legal round in case against NFL

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Former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden registered a victory over the NFL in court on Monday.

The Nevada Supreme Court, in a 5-2 ruling, decided that Gruden’s lawsuit against the league can proceed in civil court rather than being settled in an arbitration hearing to which the NFL could designate the arbitrator.

The decision backed the assertion by Gruden’s legal team that the NFL’s arbitration process didn’t apply to Gruden because he wasn’t a league employee at the time he wrote emails that are central to his lawsuit.

Gruden also contended that commissioner Roger Goodell should not be allowed to select an arbitrator when he is a party to the dispute.

Gruden’s attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, said in a statement, “We’re very pleased with the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision, not just for Coach Gruden but for all employees facing an employer’s unfair arbitration process. This victory further vindicates Coach Gruden’s reputation, and it clears the way to swiftly bringing him full justice and holding the NFL accountable.”

The NFL, which could appeal the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, did not publicly reply to the Monday ruling, multiple media outlets reported.

Gruden’s lawsuit alleges that the NFL leaked emails from him that included homophobic and misogynistic wording. The emails were sent during the 2010s when Gruden was working as an ESPN analyst and not employed by an NFL team.

The leaks occurred after the NFL found the emails as part of a separate investigation in the Washington Football Team in 2021, when Gruden was coaching the Raiders. Once the emails were made public, Gruden resigned as Las Vegas’ coach on Oct. 11, 2021.

He sued the league a month later, maintaining that “through a malicious and orchestrated campaign … the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell sought to destroy the career and reputation of Jon Gruden, the former head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.”

–Field Level Media

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell welcomes fans to the 2025 NFL Draft before the first round on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The draft runs through April 26. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Mayor: NYC gunman was targeting NFL headquarters

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The man who police say shot and killed four people and seriously injured another in a Midtown Manhattan office building Monday evening apparently held a grudge against the National Football League.

New York Mayor Eric Adams said in interviews Tuesday morning that the suspected gunman, 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura of Las Vegas, left a note in which he said he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy after playing high school football.

“He seemed to have blamed the NFL,” Adams said. “The NFL headquarters was located in the building, and he mistakenly went up the wrong elevator bank.”

The note was found on his body after he reportedly died by suicide. It has not been confirmed as to whether he suffered from CTE, the degenerative brain disease that has been linked to contact sports, including football.

Among the four killed was an off-duty New York City police officer, 36-year-old Didarul Islam, working a private security detail. Surveillance video shows Tamura walking into the building carrying an assault rifle around 6:30 p.m., and three of the people killed were in the lobby.

Despite the alleged shooter not finding the NFL offices, one league official was shot and seriously injured, commissioner Roger Goodell said in a memo issued to employees Monday night. Leading financial firms also have space in the office building at 345 Park Ave.

“He is currently in the hospital and in stable condition,” Goodell wrote about the employee in the memo, which was obtained by ESPN. “NFL staff are at the hospital and we are supporting his family. We believe that all of our employees are otherwise safe and accounted for, and the building has nearly been cleared.”

Goodell said the league office would have heightened security in the days and weeks ahead and told New York-based employees either to work remotely on Tuesday or take the day off.

Authorities said Tamura had a concealed firearms permit issued by the Las Vegas Police Department. He also previously was given a work card, now expired, by the Nevada Private Investigators Licensing Board.

ABC News reported that Tamura played running back for Grenada Hills Charter in high school in the Los Angeles area.

New York Police commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday that Tamura had a “documented mental health history.” He is believed to have arrived in New York shortly before the shooting after driving from Las Vegas. Officers found a revolver, a backpack, ammunition and unspecified medication in his vehicle, a double-parked BMW, per ABC News.

–Field Level Media

Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell during the NFLPA press conference at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFLPA exec director Lloyd Howell Jr. steps down amid controversy

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Lloyd Howell Jr. stepped down as executive director of the NFL Players Association on Thursday night following weeks of scrutiny for multiple blunders, including a reported conflict of interest and a decision to hide key parts of an arbitration ruling from the players.

“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day,” Howell said in a statement. “For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.

“I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish at the NFLPA over the past two years. I will be rooting for the players from the sidelines as loud as ever, and I know the NFLPA will continue to ensure that players remain firmly at the center of football’s future.”

Last week, ESPN reported that Howell held a part-time role as a consultant for The Carlyle Group, one of a small handful of private equity firms that the NFL has approved to pursue minority ownership in franchises.

ESPN’s reporting included a former lead outside counsel for the NFLPA, Jim Quinn, calling it “an outrageous conflict for the head of a labor union to have an interest in a third party that is aligned with the NFL.”

It was not the first blow to Howell’s reputation this offseason. In June, the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast published an arbitrator’s report from January, when the NFLPA and the league were at odds over potential collusion by team owners to tamp down the growth of quarterback contracts.

The arbitrator, Christopher Droney, ruled that there wasn’t sufficient evidence of collusion between owners — but he went on to say that “by a clear preponderance of the evidence,” commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL’s general counsel encouraged owners to restrict guaranteed money in player contracts.

Howell and the union reportedly had a confidentiality agreement with the NFL to keep the full report from getting out. Howell briefed the players but didn’t provide them copies of the report, according to ESPN.

Furthermore, Howell sits on the board of OneTeam Partners, a group licensing firm that is under investigation by the FBI.

–Field Level Media

May 1, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; President Donald Trump delivers a special commencement address to University of Alabama graduates at Coleman Coliseum. Graduation occurs over the weekend. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News

Washington, D.C., to host 2027 NFL Draft

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The 2027 NFL Draft officially is heading to the nation’s capital.

President Donald Trump announced the news on Monday afternoon in the Oval Office of the White House, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Commanders managing partner Josh Harris and Washington D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser in attendance.

The three-day event will be held at the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue.

“We think it’s going to be a great site. … We are happy to be coming back home,” Trump said.

Goodell and Harris each stated that they expect as many as 1 million people to attend the event.

Washington will be a first-time host since the NFL began rotating the sites from New York in 2015.

The annual spring draft is scheduled for Pittsburgh in 2026.

“The NFL Draft has become a marquee event, uniting fans across the country and around the world,” Goodell said. “We are excited to bring the 2027 Draft to Washington, D.C., a city rich in history and national pride. With the support of President Trump, the Commanders, Events DC, and Mayor Bowser we’re looking forward to delivering an unforgettable experience as we celebrate the next generation of NFL stars.”

The 2024 draft in Detroit drew a record crowd of 775,000 fans over three days, with an estimated 600,000 attending last month’s three-day draft in Green Bay, Wis.

“The NFL Draft is one of the biggest moments in sports — and we’re incredibly proud to help bring it to Washington, D.C.,” Harris said. “It will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors, millions of viewers around the world, and generate jobs, tax revenue, and meaningful economic impact across the city.

“The Draft is a powerful reminder of how sports bring people together — and we’re honored to play a role in that. Since we started this journey less than two years ago, we’ve seen an NFC Championship Game, an agreement to return to RFK, and now the NFL draft in Washington. Thank you to President Trump for your leadership, to Mayor Bowser for your partnership, and to Commissioner Roger Goodell for your support in bringing the Draft back to the nation’s capital.

“We look forward to welcoming the football world to Washington in 2027. Today is a great day for the DMV, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings.”

–Field Level Media

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell welcomes fans to the 2025 NFL Draft before the first round on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The draft runs through April 26. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Roger Goodell: NFL to start 2026 season in Australia

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The NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia will take place in Week 1 of 2026 — and it may even be the regular-season opener.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, speaking about the league’s international strategy on “The Pat McAfee Show” Friday, revealed the league’s plans for its first trip to Melbourne next year.

“We’re starting the season off over there next year,” Goodell said.

Asked if the teams that play in Australia will get byes the following week, Goodell said, “No, they’ll be going a few days earlier.”

While Goodell didn’t specify a day of the week, that could mean the game is played on Thursday of Week 1, typically reserved for the defending Super Bowl champions to kick off the season by raising their banner and hosting a game in prime time.

In 2024, the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Baltimore Ravens for the first game of the season on a Thursday, followed that Friday by the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. The NFL is holding games in Ireland and Spain for the first time in 2025.

As for 2026, the Los Angeles Rams were the designated home team for the game in Melbourne when it was announced in February. Their opponent won’t be decided till next year.

While Brazil and Europe make for long flights for NFL teams, Australia presents a much greater challenge being 17 hours ahead of Los Angeles.

Goodell also said in his TV appearance that regular-season games in Asia would be the next frontier.

“I think we’ll get to Asia pretty soon,” he said. “I think we can be worldwide with our game.”

–Field Level Media