Thanks to a new CBA and new television contracts, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made nearly $30 million in 2011, according to Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal:
BREAKING NEWS:NFL paid Roger Goodell $29.49 million in 2011, nearly tripling his pay, according to tax return to be filed later today...
— daniel kaplan (@dkaplanSBJ) February 15, 2013
...Goodell rewarded for new CBA, TV contracts. Most of comp was $22.3 mln bonus. Pay going forward will now be largely incentive-based....
— daniel kaplan (@dkaplanSBJ) February 15, 2013
Those figures are for the calendar year that ended March 31, 2012. The year before, he had earned $9.89 million in annual salary, but when added with bonuses -- even considering the fact that he only took $1 in salary for the duration of a lockout that started during the calendar year in question -- it came out to $30 million.
This comes separately from recent news also reported by Kaplan that Goodell's annual salary would nearly double in a new contract, which will pay him over $20 million per season by the end of its five-year term.
As crazy as it is, the amount of money Goodell is making is in line with what other heads of leagues make: NBA commissioner David Stern reportedly makes $23 million per year, and MLB commissioner Bud Selig's salary is believed to be over $20 million as well.
Goodell's legacy around the league is mixed due to his harsh stances on player discipline issues, but there's no doubt that he's continued the ability of the league to reel in millions upon millions of dollars. It's no surprise that the league's top man is receiving a healthy portion of money, especially for a year fraught with difficult decisions on his part.