Goodell paid more than $29 million by NFL in 2011

NEW YORK: Nice job, Roger Goodell. Here’s your pay: $29.49 million.
NFL owners nearly tripled the commissioner’s compensation in the 2011 tax year and likely made Goodell the best paid commissioner in US sports.
According to the league’s most recent tax return, much of Goodell’s pay comes in the form of a $22.3 million bonus. His base pay was $3.1 million. The NFL was scheduled to file the return Friday.
While the league declined comment on specifics, it must, by law, make the return available upon request.
In 2011, the NFL went through a long lockout prior to the season. Goodell helped work out the new 10-year labor deal that ended the labor strife. That was followed by lucrative new TV contracts with CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC.
For the year beginning April 1, 2011, and ending March 31, 2012, Goodell was paid $29,490,000, which included $3,117,000 in base pay, $22,309,000 in bonus and incentive compensation, and most of the rest in “other reported compensation,” the tax return said.
Goodell earned a total of $11.6 million in 2010.
“The NFL is the most successful and best-managed sports league in the world,” said Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who is chairman of the league’s compensation committee, in a statement. “This is in no small part due to Roger’s leadership and the value he brings to the table in every facet of the sport and business of the league. His compensation reflects that.”
By comparison, Saints quarterback Drew Brees is the league’s highest paid player with a five-year deal averaging $20 million.
Goodell’s compensation was first reported by SportsBusiness Daily.
The next-highest paid NFL official in 2011 was general counsel Jeff Pash. He earned $8.829 million, including $5.93 million in bonus compensation. Pash was the chief labor negotiator during the collective bargaining agreement talks.
Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue received $8.58 million, all but $1 million in retirement and deferred compensation.
It is believed Major-League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and NBA Commissioner David Stern earn somewhere in the mid-$20 million range, but neither league’s tax returns are public. Both leagues are set up as for-profits.
“Unlike most CEO’s of major companies, who are compensated with stock options, the NFL does not provide that,” said Marc Ganis, the president of SportsCorp, which does consulting work with the NFL. “So a performance-based bonus is another way of compensation.”
Packers release
record-setting
defensive back Woodson
Meantime, the Green Bay Packers released record-setting defensive back Charles Woodson after a seven-year stint that included a Super Bowl championship, the National Football League (NFL) team said on Friday.
Woodson started in all 100 games he played for Green Bay since signing with the team as an unrestricted free agent in 2006 and holds franchise records for defensive touchdowns with 10 and the most interception returns for touchdowns with nine.
He was named to the Pro Bowl eight times during his career and was a key member of the Packers team that won the Super Bowl for the 2010 campaign, establishing career highs in tackles (105) and forced fumbles (five).
"He has been an integral part of the Packers' success and our Super Bowl title in 2010 would not have been possible without his contributions," Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said in a statement.
"A once-in-a-generation talent ... we look forward to his eventual induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame."
The 1997 Heisman Trophy winner as U.S. college football's top player, Woodson was selected by Oakland with the fourth pick in the 1998 draft and spent eight seasons with the Raiders before signing with the Packers.
Woodson won NFL defensive rookie of the year honors and became one of the league's premiere defensive backs with 55 career interceptions.
He is the first NFL player to return an interception for a touchdown in five straight seasons and is tied for second in league history with 11 career interception returns for touchdowns.
Former Packers wide receiver Donald Driver announced his retirement earlier this year but the 36-year-old Woodson is expected to land with another NFL team, saying he wants to play for a Super Bowl contender.
Woodson started in all 100 games he played for Green Bay since signing with the team as an unrestricted free agent in 2006 and holds franchise records for defensive touchdowns with 10 and the most interception returns for touchdowns with nine. He was named to the Pro Bowl eight times during his career and was a key member of the Packers team that won the Super Bowl for the 2010 campaign, establishing career highs in tackles (105) and forced fumbles (five).