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If Hall of Famer Peyton Manning was approached to succeed Roger Goodell as NFL commissioner, he said Tuesday that he would turn down the opportunity because he doesn’t think he’s qualified.
Manning said, via ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio:
“[Goodell’s] done a heck of a job. I’m not sure anybody wants to follow Roger Goodell as Commissioner. It’s like following John Wooden at UCLA. The bar has been set high. Roger takes criticism, certainly. But I think he’s done a great job.
“That’s just not something that’s on my radar. Specifically because I don’t think I’m qualified to do it.”
Manning may be more qualified than he’s giving himself credit for. After all, his 18-year NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos resulted in two Super Bowl titles, five MVP awards and 14 Pro Bowls, among other accolades.
The 46-year-old is also still very involved in the NFL.
Manning hosts the ManningCast, which is an alternate stream of ESPN’s Monday Night Football, alongside his brother Eli. He also hosted Peyton’s Places, a football documentary on ESPN, and has been involved in various other broadcast opportunities.
The Hall of Famer has also been involved with the Broncos in his post-retirement days, and the team’s new ownership group reached out to him over the summer about possibly taking on a leadership role.
Goodell, who has served as commissioner since 2006, is currently under contract with the NFL until March 2024, and he is seeking a fourth contract extension, Ben Fischer and John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reported in February.
NFL owners voted 31-1 in October to approve the compensation committee to open negotiations with Goodell for a new deal, per ESPN’s Seth Wickersham. The compensation committee might consider extending his contract into 2026 or 2027.
With Goodell likely set to remain in his current position, Manning will have plenty of time to consider possibly taking over as the league’s next commissioner. While it’s not on his radar now, it could be at some point in the future.
