Steelers President Art Rooney II is the new Chair of the powerful NFL Compensation Committee, replacing Falcons Owner Arthur Blank after he stepped down in May. Cardinals President Michael Bidwill has joined as a new rank-and-file member, according to a memo from Commissioner Roger Goodell detailing the changes. Along with Rooney and Bidwill, the rest of the five-person panel includes Browns co-Owner Jimmy Haslam, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft and Giants President & CEO John Mara. They are among the five most powerful men in the NFL. Since the controversial '17 contract extension for Goodell fought by Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, the owners themselves now set the membership of the compensation committee and limit chairmanships to one-year terms. Goodell makes all other appointments.
OTHER NOTABLE CHANGES: There were other notable changes to various NFL committee rosters. NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy declined to address any particular changes, but said all appointments reflect the various owners and execs' availability, interests and experience. Committee meetings are set for this week. Among the changes:
- The league created two entirely new committees: Legalized Sports Betting, chaired by Jaguars Owner Shad Khan; and Future of Football, with no chair designated in the memo.
- The Super Bowl & Major Event Committee has been renamed the Fan Engagement & Major Event Committee. Patriots President Jonathan Kraft is now Chair, replacing Bengals Exec VP Katie Blackburn. Those changes reflect the emergence of NFL-run major events other than the Super Bowl, such as the Draft, Combine and kickoff weekend, McCarthy said. Its oversight responsibilities also expand to include marketing, communications and club business development, Goodell said. It includes five new members: Chiefs President Mark Donovan, Dolphins Vice Chair, President & CEO Tom Garfinkel, Cowboys Exec VP and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Jerry Jones Jr., Jaguars Senior VP/Football Technology & Analytics Tony Khan and 49ers CEO Jed York.
- Saints Owner Gayle Benson and Browns co-Owner Dee Haslam join the Social Justice Working Group, replacing Jimmy Haslam and Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross, who was pressured by the Players Coalition to leave the group after he hosted a fundraiser for President Trump in August.
- Vikings co-Owner & President Mark Wilf replaced Rooney as Chair of the Stadium Committee.
- Rooney has replaced Blackburn as Chair of the Workplace Diversity Committee.
- Texans Chair & CEO Cal McNair is the new Chair of the Audit Committee, replacing Blank.
- Panthers coach Ron Rivera has been named to the Competition Committee, the most powerful entity overseeing on-field issues.
MASS MEDIA APPEAL: Meanwhile, the NFL has consolidated its committees overseeing media, combining the NFL Network and digital media committees into a single group called "media owned & operated," and giving its core media committee authority over all media licensing ahead of the next round of rights negotiations. Jerry Jones will chair the newly merged owned & operated group, which includes four members each from the old digital media and NFL Network committees. In a memo to clubs, Goodell said the league's owned media "continue to become more inter-dependent." The core media committee, whose makeup is unchanged and continues to be chaired by Robert Kraft, will have oversight over media licensing across all platforms, regardless of their distribution technology. Goodell wrote that was to "better position us to engage with all potential bidders of our rights going forward." Digital streaming companies such as Amazon are expected to be major players alongside traditional networks in the next round of rights. Full membership of the new Media Owned & Operated group is: Ross, Jones, York, Jonathan Kraft, Bucs co-Chair Bryan Glazer, Colts co-Owner & Vice Chair Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Jets Chair & CEO Christopher Johnson and Giants Chair & Exec VP Steve Tisch. The media committee is Jones, Robert Kraft, Jimmy Haslam, Bucs co-Chair Joel Glazer, Rams Owner Stan Kroenke, Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie and Redskins Owner Dan Snyder.
