The NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, is widely reported to make about 64 million dollars per year in recent seasons.

Quick Scoop

  • Recent estimates put Roger Goodell’s annual salary at around 64 million dollars.
  • This figure makes him one of the highest‑paid executives in all of professional sports.
  • Earlier in his tenure (late 2000s), his pay was closer to 8–12 million dollars a year, but it has climbed sharply as league revenues exploded.
  • A New York Times–cited figure showed him earning about 63.9 million per year in the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, and similar levels have been referenced since.

Why is it so high?

  • The NFL is a multi‑billion‑dollar business, and owners see the commissioner as the CEO‑style figure responsible for TV deals, expansion, labor peace, and overall growth.
  • His pay is approved by the 32 team owners, who judge him mainly on how much value he delivers to them, not how fans feel about him.
  • Public reports note that over his tenure since 2006, his cumulative earnings are estimated at 500 million dollars or more , more than any player has made on the field.

What people are saying (forum flavor)

In fan forums and comment threads, you often see reactions like:

“How does a guy in a suit make more than the players getting hit every Sunday?”

Common viewpoints include:

  • Some argue he’s grossly overpaid compared with the athletes who risk their health.
  • Others point out that for each team, his cost works out to only a couple of million per year, which is small relative to what he helps them earn.
  • A recurring theme: owners keep paying him because league revenues, franchise values, and TV deals keep going up.

Context as of now (2025–2026)

  • His contract was extended through March 2027 , and reports say the new deal is likely the most lucrative ever for a sports commissioner, heavily incentive‑based.
  • Recent profiles still list his net worth around 250 million dollars and his annual salary at roughly 64 million dollars.

TL;DR: If you’re wondering “how much does the NFL commissioner make?” — the current ballpark answer is about 64 million dollars a year , with total career earnings north of half a billion.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.