Roger Goodell signs contract extension as NFL commissioner

Tom Schad | USA TODAY

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The NFL's compensation committee informed owners in a memo Wednesday that commissioner Roger Goodell has signed a contract extension.

Pro Football Talk was the first to report the news.

The New York Times reported that Goodell's extension is for an additional five years. It is worth up to $200 million if all incentives are met and bonuses granted, according to multiple reports.

According to the memo, which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports, the extension was signed by Goodell and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who heads the league's compensation committee. The memo also cited a "nearly unanimous consensus" among NFL owners who supported finalizing the deal.

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"In recent days, we have spoken with each of you individually regarding the status of the negotiations to extend Commissioner Goodell's employment contract," the memo reads. "‎In the course of those discussions, we have reviewed with you the details of the contract extension. Our Committee unanimously supports the contract and believes that it is fully consistent with “market” compensation and the financial and other parameters outlined to the owners at our May 2017 meeting, as well as in the best interests of ownership. We also have expressed in those conversations our strong and unanimous belief that we should proceed to sign the agreement now, consistent with the unanimous May resolution and to avoid further controversy surrounding this issue."‎

The league's 32 owners voted unanimously in May to authorize Blank and the compensation committee to negotiate an extension with Goodell, whose previous deal ran through 2019 and paid him $31.7 million in 2015, the last year for which his salary was reported.

The compensation committee faced criticism along the way from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who at one point threatened to sue his fellow owners in order to prevent the completion of the deal. He later said he would not take the matter to court but told USA TODAY Sports' Jarrett Bell he wanted "accountability."

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