Two of the NFL’s wealthiest owners had a fiery back-and-forth during a league-wide owners meeting on Tuesday.
The 32 NFL owners voted 31-1 for the compensation committee to reconstruct the contract of commissioner Roger Goodell. His contract is said to be up after the season ends, according to ESPN.
With the way the votes went, the NFL owners appear to be pleased with the job that Goodell has done since he took over the position from Paul Tagliabue in 2006, according to Bleacher Report. The one outlier who voted against the motion to reconstruct Goodell’s deal was none other than Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones.
Cowboys’ Jerry Jones engaged in a heated exchange with Patriots’ Robert Kraft in an NFL owners only meeting to decide whether to open contract negotiations with Commissioner Roger Goodell. https://t.co/jEjLddH2z2
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 19, 2022
Jones and New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, reportedly got into a heated exchange during the meeting, according to ESPN. Jones reportedly told Kraft, who voted with the overwhelming majority ,”don’t f— with me,” to which Kraft replied, “excuse me?”
As the motion passed, the boisterous Cowboys owner told Kraft, “don’t mess with me,” ESPN reported. (RELATED: Sports Betters Must Have Freaked Out At NY Giant Saquon Barkley’s Last-Second Decision)
Why Jones went at Kraft so hard is unknown but when two of the richest sports owners in world spar with verbal jabs at one another it makes for an interesting work day.
As the lone voter against the motion, Jones seems just completely unsatisfied with the job Goodell has done. A league source close to Jones told ESPN that the Cowboys owner believes that Goodell needs to do more to earn his new deal. The source said, “he is sensitive to awarding a big bonus to Roger before he performs and earns it.”
There may not be anyone as respected in the NFL as Jerry Jones is, but to put Kraft in check like this is a bush league move.