Roger Goodell
Roger Stokoe Goodell entered the world on the 19th of February 1959. He was born in Jamestown, New York to United States Senator Charles Ellsworth Goodell and his first wife Jean Rice. His father served as a senator from New York while his mother hailed from Buffalo. This political family background set an early stage for public service and leadership expectations. Goodell attended Bronxville High School where he excelled across three sports. He captained the football team, basketball team, and baseball team during his senior year. The school named him athlete of the year after his final season. Injuries prevented him from playing college football despite his athletic prowess. He graduated from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.
Goodell began his professional life within the National Football League office in 1982. He started as an administrative intern under then-Commissioner Pete Rozelle. He secured this position through a letter-writing campaign sent to the league office and all twenty-eight teams at that time. By 1983 he joined the New York Jets as an intern before returning to the main league office in 1984. There he worked as an assistant in the public relations department. In 1987 he was appointed assistant to Lamar Hunt who served as president of the American Football Conference. Under Commissioner Paul Tagliabue he filled various football and business operations roles over the next decade. His career culminated in December 2001 when he became executive vice president and chief operating officer. As COO Goodell oversaw football operations officiating and league business functions. He headed NFL Ventures which managed media properties marketing sales stadium development and strategic planning.
Paul Tagliabue retired creating an open seat for the commissioner role. Goodell emerged as one of several candidates vying for the top job. The voting process involved multiple rounds among the owners. During the second and third ballots only Goodell and Gregg Levy received votes with Goodell holding seventeen votes against Levy's fourteen. Goodell increased his lead to twenty-one votes after the fourth ballot but fell one vote short of election. On the fifth round two owners swung their support to him achieving the necessary two-thirds majority. The final count showed Goodell receiving twenty-three votes while Levy received eight. The Oakland Raiders abstained from voting in every single round. On the 8th of August 2006 Goodell was officially chosen to succeed Tagliabue. He assumed office on September 1 the date Tagliabue was required to step down.
Goodell announced a new NFL Personal Conduct Policy in April 2007 following significant off-field scandals involving players. Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam Jones and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry became the first two players suspended under these rules. Chicago Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson faced suspension months later due to weapon ownership and drunk driving incidents. Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson received a five-game suspension plus a fine of one hundred thousand dollars in late August 2007. New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison lost four games without pay for using banned substances to accelerate healing. The league held people in authority in higher regard than those on the field according to internal communications. Ray Rice running back for the Baltimore Ravens faced a two-game suspension after being accused of assaulting his then fiancée Janay Palmer. Over one hundred thousand signatures appeared on petitions calling for action regarding domestic violence problems within the league.
The 2011 NFL lockout ran from March 11 to August 5 before a collective bargaining agreement was reached. Goodell worked with owners and the NFLPA to settle the dispute while holding conference calls with season ticket holders. By June 2012 labor talks failed again leading to a lockout of regular game officials. The league opened the 2012 season using replacement referees drawn from low-level college and high school ranks. None were Division I college referees at that time since the league wanted to protect them from union backlash. The inexperience of these replacements generated heavy criticism from writers and players alike. A botched Hail Mary attempt during a Week 2 game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks became known as Fail Mary. It occurred on the 24th of September 2012 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle Washington. Replacement referees ruled an interception by M.D. Jennings as a touchdown completion ending the game controversially. The NFLPA issued a letter after Week 2 urging owners to end the dispute immediately.
Goodell disciplined the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick following Spygate allegations on the 13th of September 2007. Belichick received the maximum fine of five hundred thousand dollars while the team lost a first round draft pick for 2008. League officials smashed video tapes relating to defensive signal taping under Goodell's order to ensure evidence destruction. In March 2012 he revealed evidence of a bounty program run by Gregg Williams involving up to twenty-seven Saints defensive players. Head coach Sean Payton received a season-long suspension while general manager Mickey Loomis lost eight games. On the 30th of August 2013 the league reached a seven hundred sixty-five million dollar settlement with former players over head injuries. This created a six hundred seventy-five million dollar compensation fund for conditions like Lou Gehrig's disease. U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody refused to accept the initial agreement in January 2014 claiming inadequate compensation for nearly twenty thousand men not named in the suit. Tom Brady faced a four-game suspension in 2015 for alleged awareness of ball tampering during Super Bowl XLIX. A federal judge vacated this suspension on September 3 citing lack of fair due process before it was reinstated by an appeals court in April 2016.
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Common questions
When was Roger Goodell born and where did he grow up?
Roger Stokoe Goodell entered the world on the 19th of February 1959. He was born in Jamestown, New York to United States Senator Charles Ellsworth Goodell and his first wife Jean Rice.
How did Roger Goodell become the commissioner of the NFL?
The voting process involved multiple rounds among the owners with Goodell receiving twenty-three votes while Gregg Levy received eight on the fifth round. On the 8th of August 2006 Goodell was officially chosen to succeed Tagliabue and assumed office on September 1.
What major policy changes did Roger Goodell implement regarding player conduct?
Goodell announced a new NFL Personal Conduct Policy in April 2007 following significant off-field scandals involving players. Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam Jones and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry became the first two players suspended under these rules.
Why were replacement referees used during the 2012 NFL season?
Labor talks failed again by June 2012 leading to a lockout of regular game officials. The league opened the 2012 season using replacement referees drawn from low-level college and high school ranks since none were Division I college referees at that time.
What penalties did Roger Goodell impose for Spygate and bounty programs?
League officials disciplined the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick following Spygate allegations on the 13th of September 2007. In March 2012 he revealed evidence of a bounty program run by Gregg Williams involving up to twenty-seven Saints defensive players resulting in suspensions for Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis.