NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell Shares Thoughts on NIL

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell emphasizes financial responsibility and the role of NIL in preparing college athletes for the NFL.

Nov 4, 2023; Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany; NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell greats fans for a forum at Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Name, Image, and Likeness era of college sports has significantly transformed the football landscape, creating a new paradigm for athletes transitioning to the professional level. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently shared his insights on this evolving dynamic during an interview on The Triple Option, shedding light on the impact of NIL on the sport as a whole.

“It brings on a lot of responsibility at an earlier age, and I think it probably puts a lot of responsibility on colleges to make sure that kids understand that and they’re prepared for that. It changes the dynamic,” Goodell shared. “The zeroes get pretty big, and the impact when you make bad decisions is pretty significant for a young man and their family, so they need to be prepared for that.

In Goodell’s eyes, NIL serves as a form of financial training wheels, offering athletes preliminary experience managing significant income before signing multi-million dollar NFL contracts. While high-profile college stars like Colorado Buffaloes stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter already earn substantial amounts, most players are not yet at that level. Nevertheless, any income earned in college is more than what players made in high school, providing a valuable opportunity to learn essential financial habits such as investing, saving, and spending wisely.

With this in mind, Goodell suggested that the NFL's transition programs, designed to assist players in adapting to the professional environment, could be adopted by Universities for their athletes. This would ease their transition to the NFL and better prepare them for the demands of professional football. “The more we can help and support colleges to make sure that our transition programs could be applied potentially to them, the more likely it would be a good thing,” Goodell said. “It’s a big jump from college football to the NFL. This probably does reduce that a little bit because it’s one less adjustment, but it’s still big.”

While the Name, Image, and Likeness era has continued to reshape college football, it also serves as an important stepping stone for athletes preparing for the financial responsibilities of the professional level. Goodell understands the importance of supporting college athletes through financial education and transition programs, helping them navigate the challenges of managing significant earnings before making the leap to the NFL and to their professional lives after the league.