NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has hinted at a move that could reshape the league’s financial future. In a recent interview with CNBC, he revealed the NFL may be eyeing a massive shift in its media rights strategy, sooner than expected.
Roger Goodell Says NFL Could Renegotiate Media Deals As Soon As 2026
The NFL signed an 11-year, $111 billion media rights deal in 2021 with media partners Amazon, CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC to distribute NFL games. The deal kicked in 2023 and runs through the 2033 season.
However, the deal contains a league opt-out clause after the 2029-30 season for all of its media partners except Disney, and Goodell said the NFL may start negotiations for a new deal as soon as 2026.
“I think our partners would want to sit down and talk to us at any time, and we continue to dialogue with them. I like that opportunity,” Goodell told CNBC. “Obviously it’s not going to happen this year. But it could happen as early as next year. That could happen.”
Roger Goodell to @CNBC : “I think our partners would want to sit down and talk to us at any time, and we continue to dialogue with them. I like that opportunity. Obviously it’s not going to happen this year. But it could happen as early as next year. That could happen.”
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) September 24, 2025
Goodell’s comments follow the NBA’s $76 billion media deal and the NHL’s $7.7 billion agreement, numbers that highlight just how valuable live sports have become. With the NFL dominating U.S. viewership, accounting for 72 of the top 100 broadcasts last year and 93 the year before, league officials believe they may be leaving billions on the table by waiting until the current contracts expire.
“The reason why we felt so strongly about the option is the landscape is changing. It could be a long-term deal with the benefit of having that stability and security of it. But I think the reality of it is it changes so quickly that you want to have the ability to move. I think those options are going to give us a lot of flexibility to potentially go earlier,” said Goodell.
Media partners may be motivated to renegotiate early to secure long-term NFL rights, but the league is also exploring new opportunities with platforms like YouTube and Netflix. This season, YouTube streamed an international game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. Since last year, Netflix has been broadcasting Christmas games, signaling the NFL’s push toward broader digital reach.
However, negotiations in 2026Â could face delays due to the NFL’s pending deal with ESPN, which would give the league a 10% stake in the network. Another factor is the potential addition of an 18th regular-season week, which would ideally be settled before any new media deal. That change would require approval from the NFL Players Association, potentially pushing back talks.
