Report: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Earned Nearly $128M Over Past 2 Fiscal Years

Roger Goodell is not hurting for money.

Ken Belson of the New York Times reported the NFL commissioner earned approximately $128 million over the past two fiscal years. The compensation, which was revealed during a two-day meeting for the league's owners, was made up of about 90 percent bonus totals.

The bonuses were so substantial because of Goodell's role in finalizing a 10-year labor agreement with the league's players' association and his role in landing media deals worth more than $100 billion for the next 10 years.

Belson explained the commissioner's salary used to be determined when a compensation committee featuring six team owners recommended a figure to be voted on by the league's owners. However, Goodell's contract was changed to rely largely on bonuses after that committee had a dispute with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Goodell signed a five-year deal in 2017 that started in 2019.

He is making significantly more money than most of the NFL's players. Spotrac lists the 2021 salary in cash for each player, and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott leads the way at $75 million. He is also the only one who is even close to the commissioner, considering Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher T.J. Watt is second at $36 million.

Goodell's salary is especially newsworthy at this point as he and the NFL continue to face negative headlines regarding the league's investigation into workplace misconduct within the Washington Football Team and fallout from the resignation of Jon Gruden, the former Las Vegas Raiders coach whose leaked emails included the use of racist, misogynistic and anti-gay language.