NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's impact and legacy through his first 10 years on the job in part can be based on the fact that "almost all the owners -- his bosses -- love him," though along the way, he has become "perhaps the most unpopular commissioner among fans and players in the history of sports," according to Gary Myers of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Goodell has "more than doubled the league’s revenue," as he has "made wealthy men wealthier while becoming an incredibly wealthy man himself." Yet Giants President & CEO John Mara said it is a "little unsettling” to see the face of the league treated so rudely by fans. Mara: "I don’t like seeing him getting booed at the draft or anywhere else he goes. He’s got thick skin and deals with it pretty well. I don’t think any of us particularly like that. Then when we look at the job he’s doing -- long-term labor deal, long-term television contracts, interest in our game is as strong as it’s ever been -- he’s been the leader through all of that. We all accept the fact that he may be unpopular with certain segments of the public. But he’s doing the job he was hired to do.” Mara added, "It’s at the point where just about anything he does continues to draw criticism and that’s unfortunate. I know his heart is in the right place and the people that are in this business realize what a good job he’s done." Myers notes Goodell's contract expires in March '19, and it "would not be all that surprising if he tries to get a labor extension done with the NFLPA prior ... and then decides to leave the NFL." If Goodell, 57, "elects to move on," one name to "keep in mind as his successor" is NFL Exec VP/Media Brian Rolapp (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/10).
RIPPLE EFFECT: Patriots QB Tom Brady's Deflategate suspension ended this week, and THE MMQB's Peter King noted the "subsequent court battle" between the NFL and NFLPA reportedly cost an estimated $23M King: "If I were an NFL owner, and I knew the Tom Brady legal fight me sapped my team of $359,000, I’d be furious right now. Livid. ... I’d be telling Roger Goodell right about now: Please send a strongly worded letter and a $25,000 fine the next time, unless you’ve got overwhelming evidence that the public confidence in the game has been irrevocably harmed" (MMQB.SI.com, 10/10). Brady put up strong numbers in a dominating win against the Browns in his return, and many Twitter users viewed the on-field performance as a challenge to Goodell. WEEI-FM's Kirk Minihane: "This has been the worst 64 minutes of Roger Goodell's life." Comedian Andy Ruther: "Goodell should donate $10k of his own money to breast cancer research every-time Brady tosses a TD this month." CBS Sports' Will Brinson: "The Tom Brady Double Bird Eff You Reunion Tour is off to a good start." Fox News' Robert J. O'Neill: "Am I the only one happy to watch Tom Brady destroy Goodell today? Good for you" (TWITTER.com, 10/9).
