Account
Report: Roger Goodell Asks Jerry Jones for Reimbursement over Public Criticism
February 26, 2018
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is prepared to take millions of dollars from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry due to Jones' attempt to thwart Goodell's contract extension negotiations.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, "it's a reimbursement of costs incurred by member clubs," and he added Goodell made this decision after speaking with owners, and the amount will be over $2 million.
The New York Times' Ken Belson had originally reported it was a fine.
According to Belson, Goodell also took issue with Jones publicly advocating for Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott to avoid a suspension after the league had investigated domestic violence claims against him.
Belson reported several owners support the decision against Jones and that Goodell only pursued the action after they "believed that Jones had crossed an unspoken boundary by threatening his colleagues."
Belson reported in November that Jones had hired attorney David Boies in preparation for a potential lawsuit against the NFL and the group of owners negotiating Goodell's extension.
ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham reported that Jones not only wanted to stall the negotiations but also replace Goodell as commissioner. Jones had been advocating behind the scenes for a regime change and had already identified a hand-picked replacement for Goodell.
According to Van Natta and Wickersham, Elliott's six-game suspension was one of the reasons for Jones' antipathy toward Goodell. Jones said publicly last August "you have no evidence here," regarding the case against Elliott.
Van Natta and Wickersham had also reported Jones approached NFL investigator Lisa Friel at a hotel bar during the time of the NFL's annual league meeting in October 2016. Jones reportedly personally lobbied Friel to be lenient toward Elliott, telling her: "I'm saying this as an owner. Your bread and butter is going to get both of us thrown out on the street."