The player protests that have permeated multiple instances of the singing of the American National Anthem before NFL football games have been the talk of the sports world for the better part of the last three months, placing a dark cloud over the league and any on-field successes. Several owners have spoken out against the act of kneeling during "The Star Spangled Banner," which many players have done in protest of police brutality that continues to be an issue in many cities across the country, particularly where minorities are concerned. In fact, the gloominess has been so pervasive over the NFL this season that the commissioner of the league has seen his contract extension delayed as a result.
According to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, Roger Goodell, the much-maligned man who has been in charge of the NFL for over a decade, has been his new contract extension stalled because of the reaction from the player protests, specifically when it comes to revenues. TV ratings and merchandise sales across the league are down, giving the NFL its first major financial tailspin to deal with in the Goodell era. As far as Schefter is concerned, the anthem protests have marred the commissioner's contract talks. Here's what the ESPN personality had to say:
"Had the issue not existed, Goodell's contract might have been completed at last week's owners meeting in New York, sources said. However, because the issue has become so critical to the league, the NFL's compensation committee spent about only 20 minutes Wednesday discussing Goodell's extension (...) The committee still insists Goodell's deal will be completed, but there is other business that currently is more pressing."
It's not entirely clear when Goodell's extension will be pushed through by owners, but when it does come to fruition, he's expected to be locked into his current position until 2024. There's also no details out there concerning the monetary stipulations in said contract and whether or not they've been affected by the recent protests during the anthem. With so much intense discussion about that issue coming from all factions of the NFL, it looks like Goodell may be without his renewal for the foreseeable future.
