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- NBA commissioner Adam Silver was reportedly approached to gauge his interest in taking over for Goodell, an offer that Silver immediately declined.
- There’s still no clear successor to Goodell should owners wish to oust him from his role.
- The ongoing war between NFL owners regarding Goodell’s extension shows no signs of stopping.
There’s been no shortage of surprises in the ongoing drama that has taken over NFL owners surrounding the negotiations of Roger Goodell’s contract extension, but beyond all the posturing, another interesting tidbit of information emerged from the rubble — NBA commissioner Adam Silver was reportedly one of the names some owners were considering as a potential replacement for Roger Goodell.
According to ESPN’s Don Van Natta and Seth Wickersham, Silver was contacted by an unnamed owner in order to gauge his interest in running the NFL. Silver immediately turned down the offer.
It’s no surprise that Silver wouldn’t have interest in the job. After taking the role of commissioner from David Stern, Silver almost immediately had to deal with the fallout of Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who had been caught on tape making racist comments. Silver banned Sterling for life, and urged owners to vote to expel Sterling from the league, earning high praise from fans and players alike.
Since then, Silver has had a solid run as commissioner, with interest in the NBA on the upswing thanks to a pool of talented, marketable players that captivate fans both on and off the court.
The fact that an owner thought to reach out to Silver regarding the position also signals that there isn’t any clear choice within the NFL to take over Goodell’s role, even if some owners would prefer a change in league leadership.