Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has waged a war with the NFL over the possible extension of Roger Goodell’s contract. Now, other NFL owners are firing back.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, some NFL owners have explored ousting Jones from his control over the Cowboys:
A league source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that multiple owners already have been discussing the possibility, which flows from Article VIII of the NFL’s Constitution & Bylaws. Specifically, Section 8.13 authorizes the Commissioner to determine that an owner “has been or is guilty of conduct detrimental to the welfare of the League or professional football.” If the Commissioner believes the available sanction (a $500,000 fine) is “not adequate or sufficient,” the Commissioner may refer the issue to the NFL’s Executive Committee, which has the power to compel “[c]ancellation or forfeiture of the franchise in the League of any member club involved or implicated,” with a directive to sell the team.
Florio also wrote that any such move would guarantee years of litigation.
Jones has pushed back against the NFL possibly extending Goodell’s contract, even hiring lawyer David Boies and threatening a potential lawsuit if the transaction goes through.
Other owners, according to Florio, are upset with Jones because they believe he encouraged Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter to blame the NFL for failing pizza sales.
Forced sales of sports franchises are extremely rare. If a team switches hands, most owners choose to sell by choice. The NBA successfully forced former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling to sell in 2014 after he was caught making racist remarks on tape.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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