Goodell to succeed Tagliabue as NFL commish

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Goodell chosen to succeed Tagliabue as NFL commissioner

By BARRY WILNER, AP Football Writer
August 9, 2006


NORTHBROOK, Ill. (AP) -- Roger Goodell can only hope his first few years as NFL commissioner go as smoothly as his selection for the job.

Considering the way Paul Tagliabue is leaving things for him, the chances of that are very good, indeed.

The former league intern who worked his way up to become Tagliabue's top aide was chosen Tuesday to succeed his former boss. Goodell expects to begin his five-year term by the start of the regular season Sept. 7.

"We've had the two greatest sports commissioners in the history of professional sports, Paul Tagliabue and Pete Rozelle, and I was fortunate to work for both of them," the 47-year-old Goodell said after shaking every owners' hand. "I look forward to the challenge and thank them again for their confidence."

That kind of confidence and unanimity was something NFL owners didn't display 17 years ago, when it took seven months and a total of 12 ballots to elect Tagliabue over Saints president Jim Finks. An advisory committee made up mainly of longtime owners recommended Finks, but many of the newer owners balked.

This time, while it took five ballots, the voting went on for just three hours.

"The process was good in that it got everyone looking ahead and not just at the circumstances in their own city," Tagliabue said.

The final round was 32-0, and Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who symbolizes the league's illustrious history, went to Goodell's hotel room to deliver the good news.

He opened it, and Rooney didn't have to say a word.

"When I saw Dan smiling, I knew it wasn't bad news," Goodell said.

Goodell won't soon forget the long path he has taken to become the fourth NFL commissioner in 60 years.

"I spent my life following my passion," the 47-year-old Goodell said. "The game of football is the most important thing. You can never forget that."

The son of former U.S. Sen. Charles Goodell of New York, Goodell had been Tagliabue's top assistant on expansion and stadium construction. He also was the contact man with union head Gene Upshaw during the recent labor talks. In 2001, he became the NFL's chief operating officer.

From a humble beginning -- receiving dozens of rejection letters from NFL teams after graduating from Washington and Jefferson in 1981 -- Goodell now takes over perhaps the most influential and powerful job in sports.

League revenues have skyrocketed during the 17 years under Tagliabue, who announced his retirement after brokering new television and labor deals. The NFL will collect about $10 billion in TV rights fees during the next six years, and enjoys labor peace with the players' association under an agreement completed in March.

The owners are certain they are in good hands.

"Roger's experience is a broad representation of Paul's tenure," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. "It's a demonstration of the kind of people they have in the NFL. He's the perfect man to carry us on into the future."

The biggest challenge is finding a balance between the high-revenue and low-revenue teams. Sure, the NFL is a $6.5 billion a year enterprise, but some clubs -- Buffalo, Jacksonville, Minnesota -- aren't nearly as profitable as the Redskins and Cowboys, both with total values over $1 billion.

If there was any question whether Goodell could handle that, though, he wouldn't have been elected so swiftly.

And he has that resume.

"We had five excellent candidates," Houston Texans owner Robert McNair said. "We chose to go with the one who brought us continuity."

Added New England's Robert Kraft: "Roger got his MBA from Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue. That's not a bad education."

Goodell, born in Jamestown, N.Y., is married and has twin daughters. He was favored throughout the four-month process, and beat four other finalists: lawyers Gregg Levy and Frederick Nance; Fidelity Investments vice chairman Robert Reynolds; and Constellation Energy chairman Mayo Shattuck III.

"I said from the beginning that we were going to look for the man to lead us," Rooney said he told the owners during the voting. "I said that when we finished, I had no doubt that that was Roger Goodell."

After accepting the congratulations of the owners, Goodell stood on a platform during a news conference as Tagliabue simply introduced him and stepped aside.

It's Goodell's league now.