When the NFL selected Roger Goodell as commissioner in 2006, the runner-up was Gregg Levy, who like Paul Tagliabue had been the league’s outside counsel. Dan Rooney and Jerry Richardson headed the search committee. After the vote, Rooney asked Richardson to go with him to deliver the good news to Goodell. Richardson instead chose to speak with Levy.
He could tell Levy was nervous when he answered the knock at his hotel room door. Richardson broke the bad news, then offered to answer any questions.
“But first, let me wait outside while you call your wife,” Richardson said.
When Levy was done, Richardson rejoined him. He suggested they find Goodell as quickly as possible, so Levy could offer his congratulations before the announcement was made. Richardson hoped they would be able to work together, and wanted them to start off on good terms.
“He was a devoted person to the NFL, and I knew it meant a lot to him,” Richardson said. “And he would have been a tremendous commissioner. So we shouldn’t send someone from [search firm] Korn Ferry to go tell Gregg Levy he wasn’t elected. It was a personal thing for me.”
