Roger Stokoe Goodell, born in 1959, has served as the Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) since September 1, 2006. He began his NFL career in 1982 as an administrative intern, steadily rising through the ranks under Commissioners Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue, eventually becoming the league's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2001. As Commissioner, Goodell's stated primary responsibility is "protecting the shield," focusing on the integrity and safety of the game. During his tenure, he has overseen significant initiatives including negotiating collective bargaining agreements, league expansion, the launch of the NFL Network, and securing new television deals. Notably, Goodell introduced a stricter Personal Conduct Policy in 2007 and initiated the NFL International Series in London that same year, while also discontinuing NFL Europe.