Roger Goodell memo announces NFL staff furloughs and salary cuts
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has announced staff furloughs, salary reductions and cuts in the NFL’s pension plan in a memo sent to the league office staff in New York and employees at NFL Films and NFL Network.
CNN obtained the memo from a source with knowledge of its distribution, and the source also disclosed that Goodell had voluntarily reduced his own salary to $0 effective last month.
In the memo, Goodell discloses the league is still preparing for a full 2020 season but acknowledges the “difficult decisions” that had to be made because of the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is clear that the economic effects will be deeper and longer lasting than anyone anticipated and that their duration remains uncertain,” Goodell stated in the memo. “The downturn has affected all of us, as well as our fans, our business partners, and our clubs.”
According to the memo, pay reductions are aimed at management-level employees who make more than $100,000, and no employee with a base salary below $100,000 will be affected by the reduction.
Goodell states that those employees “who are unable to substantially perform their duties from home and/or whose current workload has been significantly reduced” will be furloughed.
Furloughs will become effective May 8.
Goodell added that he hopes the league will be able to reinstate those furloughed “within a few months.” Goodell also announced a permanent change to the contribution percentage in the league’s pension plan.
