The NFL is a more than successful product. Accordingly, the contract extension of Commissioner Roger Goodell was only a formality.

Roger Goodell has been commissioner of the NFL since 2006. The growing global success of the league is also thanks to him.

For months, an extension of his expiring contract had been on the table. This has now been finalised.

As the NFL announced, the contract was extended by three years until March 2027. For the 64-year-old it is already the fourth extension after 2009, 2012 and 2017.

Goodell began working in the NFL in 1982 as an administrative intern in the league office under then-Commissioner Pete Rozelle. He now has a total of 45 years with the league, which will be 21 years as commissioner when his contract ends – no one in league history has ever had a longer tenure.

Salary increase for Goodell in presumably last contract?

Nothing is known about the exact salary in the new contract. Since the league as a whole is growing and salaries are rising – for players as well as coaches – it can be assumed that the league boss can also look forward to a pay rise.

In his previous contract, Goodell earned around $64 million – annually. This makes him the highest-paid league boss in North America.

In 2027, however, an era will apparently come to an end. As “ESPN” insider Adam Schefter reports, it is assumed that it will probably be his last term.

Goodell’s predecessor in the commissioner post, Paul Tagliabue, stepped down at the age of 65. Tagliabue, in turn, had taken over from Rozelle, who resigned at 63.

Both will have significantly outstripped Goodell in terms of age by the end of their contracts.