February 2, 2007 AN INTERVIEW WITH: Q. Congratulations on surviving your NFL COMMISSIONER first year. ROGER GOODELL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: I haven't made it yet, Dave. They tell me I have to COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: get through this. Good morning and welcome. For those of you who attended the Prince press conference, I'm not sure Q. 19 years ago Doug Williams became I'm going to be able to meet that standard, but I'll the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl do my best. or to really play in one. And an influx of black Certainly we appreciate all of you being quarterbacks followed him. About two hours here. Your coverage, your interest in the NFL ago Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith stood up by throughout the season is very important to us and the Vince Lombardi Trophy in a pioneering we deeply appreciate that. moment for the NFL. Do you think their By any stretch of the imagination, this NFL presence in the Super Bowl will lead to -- there season was one of the best we've ever had. We're are still only six Black coaches, more Black excited about our match-up on Sunday night with coaches, more Black executives simply the Bears and the Colts. It's sure to be a great because they're here? Super Bowl for us. COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: I know we have a number of challenges for The answer, Dave, is, yes. Most importantly, we're the league. I'm eager to get to your questions. But proud of Tony (Dungy) and Lovie (Smith) as great I'd like to recognize somebody who is very football coaches. They have meant a great deal to important to the NFL and certainly somebody that the NFL. They're people of incredibly high will have a significant play in our Super Bowl this character, and to see the success they're having Sunday. As you know, there are very few people on the field as NFL coaches is very rewarding for who have attended Super Bowls 40 straight Super all of us. It is obviously of particular note that they Bowls. It's even more rare to find a couple that are African Americans, and the success that they have attended 40 straight Super Bowls. Norma are having on the field is something that we're very and Lamar Hunt have attended every Super Bowl proud of. And I know they're proud of it as African together, 40 straight. Americans, but I know they want to be As you know, we lost Lamar Hunt this remembered and thought of as great football past December after a long battle with cancer. He coaches, and they are, I think, in the NFL's minds. was a very special man. He was a pioneer in I think it will lead to greater opportunities, sports. He transformed pro football and he also because the whole basis of the Rooney Rule was coined the name Super Bowl. So it's a special to make sure we had the best possible people in honor for us to have Norma here. Norma will be those positions. And whether it's coaching, for an joining Dan Marino to flip the coin for the office, or anything associated with the NFL, we beginning of Super Bowl XLI and we're thrilled to want to have a sophisticated process that is open have her. I don't know if she's arrived yet. She and diverse that will find the best possible was stuck in traffic. But there she is. (Applause.) candidate for those positions. These are two great Norma, we're honored to have you here, thank you examples and it's happening across the league for being here. and we're proud of it. I understand Dave Goldberg has the honors, so let's get this started. 1 2.2.07 ROGER GOODELL visit our archives at asapsports.com Q. We know there's going to be a stadium. They have a great community. And I regular season game in the UK next season. know they are bidding on 2011, along with Dallas Can you shed anymore light on that situation and along with Arizona. And I think they have a lot for us? of positive things that they'll present. It is an COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: ownership decision. It is my job to make sure that Yes. Today we're proud to announce that the the process is done in a fair and open process. Dolphins and the Giants will be playing at And I will do that. Wembley Stadium next fall, October 28th. It will be shown on Fox Sports here in the United States. Q. Talking about the regular season And we think we have a great match-up. And it will games outside the USA. Why Mexico wasn't be a terrific start or smashing start, as some might considered for the 2007 season? say, to our start in London. So we're thrilled to be COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: It back. actually was considered. We have had, as you know, we've played our first regular season game Q. I wanted to ask you about the CBA. in our history in Mexico City last year. It was a As you know there's a lot of discontent around great success and it led, frankly, to the fact that our the league, I've heard it described that there are ownership would approve playing regular season no defenders left in the league of the CBA. You games on a more limited basis annually. haven't got revenue sharing, it's squeezed on We love Mexico. We have a great fan the small-market teams, even the big-market base there. It's growing every day. We are very teams complain about it. Gene (Upshaw) interested in going back. And we hope to be mentioned opting out in '08. Do you think the dealing with the various officials in Mexico to try to owners will opt out in '08 and what will happen get that done for the 2008 season. then? COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: Q. Roger, Gene Upshaw said yesterday Well, I think the first thing we have to do is do a that the two of you have a difference on HGH, great deal of analysis. We've had a great system and he's still not there to blood testing. Do you with the Players Association for a long period of believe that players should be blood tested for time. We have a new agreement we're operating HGH. And what is your overall level of under. It obviously has new mechanisms, it has satisfaction with the steroid testing program at new aspects of the deal we have to evaluate to that point? make sure they're working, not only to the NFL but COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: also for the players. Let me start on the steroid testing. As you know, I think, from our standpoint, I know there's we announced changes last week to our program. some concern about the cost of the deal. But we We think this reinforces the fact that we're leaders have to do that evaluation. So I would urge all of in this area. We believe that our program is high us to be patient, to understand it, do the quality. We have increased the number of tests to evaluation. It is our job, our responsibility with the 12,000 tests per year. We have added new players to strike a reasonable agreement that banned substances with EPO. The players are works for all parties. And we are assured, at least, very proud of the program. And I'm proud of the that we will have labor peace through 2010. So we players that they want to eliminate performance will have a lot of work to do. We will be in great enhancing drugs. contact with Gene and his team. But I feel There is no reliable test for HGH right now. confident that we will be able to address the issues We are investing money to develop that test. I as we go forward, because we have a don't know if that will be a blood test or urine test. responsibility to do that. We are going to pursue both. We keep an open mind about the use of a test, whether it be blood or Q. What is your assessment of the urine. I do understand, though, what Gene is chances of Indianapolis hosting a Super Bowl? raising as far as the complications of blood tests. COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: But again until that technology is developed I think Well, I've had a lot of discussions with the Mayor, it's premature for us to make any decisions. had a lot of discussions with Jimmy (Irsay). I know their interest. They're building a tremendous 2 2.2.07 ROGER GOODELL visit our archives at asapsports.com Q. What's it mean to the league to have going to meet with in the next several weeks to two tradition-rich franchises back in the big give us their perspective on what's really game for the first time in decades? happening and what are the issues, so we can try COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL: to learn something first. Well, I think it's great for the league. My wife likes But I think our focus has to be on to tell me that everything starts in the midwest. So reevaluating our policies, make sure we educate it's great to see two midwestern teams doing well.