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Commissioner of the NFL

Updated: Wikipedia source

Commissioner of the NFL

The commissioner of the National Football League is the chief executive officer of the National Football League (NFL). The position was created in 1941. The current commissioner is Roger Goodell, who assumed office on September 1, 2006. As of November 2025, he is the only living NFL commissioner. Until 1941, the NFL's chief executive was the league president. On January 17, 1941, the NFL franchise owners amended the league's constitution to change the chief executive's title from "president" to "commissioner".

Infobox

Inaugural holder
Elmer Layden
Formation
January 17, 1941
Website
www.nfl.com

Tables

Heads of the NFL · List of presidents/commissioners
Image
Holder
Start
End
Title
Ralph Hay
1920
1920
Temporary Secretary (1920)
Jim Thorpe
1920
1921
Presidents (1920–1941)
Joseph Carr
1921
1939
Carl Storck
1939
1941
Elmer Layden
1941
1946
Commissioners (1941–present)
Bert Bell
1946
1959
Austin Gunsel (interim)
1959
1960
Pete Rozelle
1960
1989
Paul Tagliabue
1989
2006
Roger Goodell
2006

References

  1. Coffin Corner
    https://web.archive.org/web/20101218174314/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Associating_In_Obscurity.pdf
  2. Coffin Corner
    https://web.archive.org/web/20101218174026/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Forward_Into_Invisibility.pdf
  3. Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 20
  4. The New York Times
  5. The New York Times
  6. The New York Times
  7. The New York Times
  8. Minneapolis Star-Journal
    https://www.newspapers.com/image/187364053/
  9. Arch : a promoter, not a poet : the story of Arch Ward
  10. On Any Given Sunday, A Life of Bert Bell
  11. The Boston Daily Globe
  12. America's Game, by Michael MacCambridge, 2005, pg. 15
  13. The New York Times
  14. Florence Times
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Uh0sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=58YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1122%2C499009
  15. St. Petersburg Times
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KhVPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K04DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4372%2C2006981
  16. Sarasota Herald-Tribune
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xCEhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3GQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4368%2C5255934
  17. The Milwaukee Journal
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zzMaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0yUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6524,255954&dq
  18. The Windsor Star
    https://books.google.com/books?id=ISg_AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA30
  19. Sarasota Journal
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ygEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3YoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6850,2005446&dq
  20. Spokane Daily Chronicle
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_aASAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GvcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6850,5679313&dq
  21. Beaver Valley Times
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wFovAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2toFAAAAIBAJ&pg=993,3233832&dq
  22. The Windsor Star
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=byw_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=l1AMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4064,150846&dq
  23. Meriden Journal
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FbFIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=twENAAAAIBAJ&pg=5784,1791183&dq
  24. The New York Times
  25. The Leader-Post
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IERYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7jsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2960,4100166&dq
  26. The Windsor Star
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cyw_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=l1AMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3590,1713068&dq
  27. Milwaukee Sentinel
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9QAkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HRAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7190%2C2739358
  28. Milwaukee Sentinel
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qGNQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oxAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7221%2C1273838
  29. Milwaukee Sentinel
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ac0wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0RAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7163%2C1743104
  30. Spokane Daily Chronicle
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w95YAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ePcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3407%2C6053967
  31. Spokane Daily Chronicle
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w95YAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ePcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3407%2C6053967
  32. The Washington Post
  33. Al Davis Resigns; Woddard Is In
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GoMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Tc0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2644,4125707&dq=milt-woodard&hl=en
  34. Woddard resigns
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mNJNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YYoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4779,1299718&dq=milt-woodard&hl=en
  35. Ellensburg Daily Record
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=klZUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=244DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4016%2C3122124
  36. Tuscaloosa News
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NAEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QZwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3456%2C77367
  37. Spokane Daily Chronicle
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D_pLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6vgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2992%2C330325
  38. Pittsburgh Press
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ld4cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GWMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7034%2C3933866
  39. Pittsburgh Press
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8dQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IGMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6408%2C7398253
  40. Eugene Register-Guard
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1udVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=seEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6137%2C6099690
  41. Eugene Register-Guard
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2_NVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6274%2C6797482
  42. Los Angeles Times
    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-23-sp-303-story.html
  43. The Robesonian
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xC9VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2j0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=4070,5190542&dq
  44. The Vindicator
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v2NcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qFYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1069,1911419&dq
  45. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/08/sports/football-after-election-of-finks-is-blocked-nfl-to-try-again.html
  46. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/20/sports/finks-may-still-wind-up-as-commissioner.html
  47. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/27/sports/tagliabue-is-elected-nfl-commissioner.html
  48. Los Angeles Times
    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-13-sp-230-story.html
  49. Ocala Star-Banner
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6q5PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sAYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6795,6006748&dq
  50. Schenectady Gazette
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CBUxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y-AFAAAAIBAJ&pg=914,6605578&dq
  51. Spokesman-REview
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=97szAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rfEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3632%2C3456072
  52. Moscow-Pullman Daily News
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cscjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RNEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4462%2C2725140
  53. NFL.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20010915231549/http://www.nfl.com/news/2001/decision_091301.html
  54. NFL.com
    https://www.nfl.com/news/sidelines/remembering-9-11-this-wasn-t-the-time-to-play-football
  55. CBC.ca
    https://archive.today/20130101005726/http://www.cbc.ca/cp/sports/060808/s0808116.html
  56. Spartanburg Herald-Journal
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=L1woAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tdAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6592%2C3905349
  57. National Post via Canada.com
    https://archive.today/20120604170015/http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=ddeb2b16-7c4c-4d5a-a170-c827a798eaf3&k=27090
  58. ESPN via espn.com
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2832015
  59. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/sports/20070904/c8nflsuspend04.art.htm
  60. NFL.com
    http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80251b7e&template=with-video&confirm=true
  61. ESPN.com
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3018338
  62. "Jonathan Vilma banned one year"
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/7881761/nfl-bans-four-players-new-orleans-saints-bounty-roles
  63. Paul Tagliabue vacates penalties. ESPN, 2012-12-11.
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/8736662/paul-tagliabue-vacates-new-orleans-players-bounty-penalties
  64. National Football League
    https://www.nfl.com/news/tom-brady-suspended-4-games-plans-to-appeal-0ap3000000492185
  65. National Football League
    https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-releases-statement-on-patriots-violations-0ap3000000492190
  66. ESPN.com
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/12887452/nflpa-appeals-four-game-suspension-new-england-patriots-quarterback-tom-brady
  67. USAToday.com
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/05/14/tom-brady-suspension-appeal-roger-goodell-deflategate-new-england-patriots/
  68. National Football League
    https://www.nfl.com/news/roger-goodell-upholds-tom-brady-suspension-0ap3000000504258
  69. "Goodell cites destroying phone in upholding Tom Brady's suspension"
    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/07/28/roger-goodell-upholds-tom-bradys-four-game-suspension-2/
  70. NFL.com
    https://www.nfl.com/news/what-s-next-in-tom-brady-s-legal-fight-0ap3000000504307
  71. The Globe and Mail
    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/patriots-qb-brady-says-he-did-nothing-wrong-in-deflategate-scandal/article25749138/
  72. National Football League
    https://www.nfl.com/news/judge-nullifies-tom-brady-s-four-game-suspension-0ap3000000520618
  73. "Judge rules in favor of Tom Brady in Deflategate; NFL appeals decision"
    https://www.espn.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/13570716/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-wins-appeal-nfl-deflategate
  74. National Football League
    https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-officially-appeals-tom-brady-decision-0ap3000000520654
  75. The Wall Street Journal
    https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2016/04/25/why-the-nfl-won-its-deflategate-appeal/
  76. The Boston Globe
    https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2016/07/15/tom-brady-accepts-his-four-game-suspension-for-deflategate/Q7px7PUw1d8fFIzoXlSABO/story.html
  77. Forbes
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2021/10/29/nfls-roger-goodell-reportedly-makes-639-million-per-year---heres-how-that-compares-to-other-top-execs-and-sports-commissioners/
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