Roger Goodell’s next contract extension could take him past three-quarters of a billion dollars in career earnings as NFL commissioner.

The league is working to keep Goodell — whose deal expires in 2024 — in place through 2027, when he’ll turn 67, in a deal that many believe will be his last. 

Goodell was hired in 2006 for a reported compensation of about $6.5 million. His most recent annual salary is believed to be nearly $64 million — which means Goodell’s pay has increased nearly tenfold since taking over the NFL’s top job.

This latest deal could push Goodell’s personal wealth into the stratosphere.

Using the NFL’s tax filings from 2006-15 and various reports since the league gave up its tax-exempt status, a conservative estimate would put Goodell’s earnings to date at close to $500 million.

By 2027, he could be expected to easily eclipse $700 million in earnings or even more, given the league’s ever-growing revenue — from deals like the current $10 billion bundle of annual media rights through the next decade.

Some owners might even want Goodell to stay beyond 2027 — and it wouldn’t be the first time Goodell has backed away from the idea of retirement. In 2017, former NFL communications executive Joe Lockhart said the commissioner viewed his current deal as his last.

A League Of His Own

Goodell’s current salary dwarfs those of his contemporaries.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred appears to be the closest at a reported $17.5 million per year, with the NBA’s Adam Silver reportedly at $10 million.

Formula 1’s shift toward sustainability is luring a major engine manufacturer.

Honda announced Wednesday that it will return to F1 in 2026, supplying engines exclusively to Aston Martin in a major step for both companies.

Honda supplied engines to various teams from 2015-21, most recently for Red Bull, which continued to work with Honda in 2022 after engine construction was officially handed over to Red Bull Powertrains.

Red Bull finished a close second to Mercedes for the 2021 Constructors’ Cup, won handily in 2022, and has continued its dominance this year, winning all five races to date.

As for Aston Martin, the move presents an opportunity to decouple from rival Mercedes, which currently supplies its engines.

“The nature of F1 is if you want to win, it means beating Mercedes, and it is extremely difficult to beat an organization as good as Mercedes if you are reliant on them for intellectual property, facilities, and components,” said Aston Martin’s group CEO, Martin Whitmarsh.

Sustainability Matters

When Honda left F1, it said that the series was no longer aligned with the carmaker’s research and development goals, including a shift toward sustainability. F1 recaptured Honda’s interest by adjusting vehicle requirements to include more electric power and sustainable fuels starting in 2026.

That change “is in line with the direction Honda is aiming toward carbon neutrality, and it will become a platform which will facilitate the development of our electrification technologies,” Honda global CEO Toshihito Mibe said.

The University of South Florida is on track to build a brand new stadium.

The finance committee of the school’s board of trustees unanimously approved the financial plan for the $340 million, 35,000-seat venue set to open in July 2026, with construction beginning in October. 

The building would house USF’s football and lacrosse teams. The football team currently plays at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

“I think an on-campus stadium really improves the student experience and really activates the campus,” said USF chief financial officer Richard Sobieray. “It brings some additional reputation to the university, and I think it’s a positive thing.”

The full board of trustees and the state university system board of governors still have to approve the project before it can officially move forward. The trustees could approve the plan at a meeting on June 13.

USF would spend $140 million under the plan, with another $200 million borrowed over 20 years. The school would source $50 million from donations to the USF foundation, $31 million from its capital improvement fund, and an estimated $59 million from selling broadband equipment and licenses.

The stadium was designed by Barton Malow and Populous, which will receive $22 million for its services.