NFL Executive VP Brian Rolapp To Become PGA Tour CEO

As Roger Goodell nears his third decade as NFL commissioner, he is moving toward another extension. But the league continues to look into successors. The PGA Tour will intervene involving one option.

NFL executive vice president Brian Rolapp is leaving his post to become the PGA Tour CEO, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and Seth Wickersham report. Rolapp is viewed as one of the Goodell successor options, but he will move into the golf ranks.

Spending 22 years working in the league, Rolapp had held his executive VP post since 2017. He served as a key presence under Goodell, being viewed as the lead architect of the league’s business and media setup (per ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach) during what has been a period of extraordinary growth. While Rolapp is departing to work in the golf world, Front Office Sports’ Daniel Roberts notes this departure is not expected to remove him from future consideration to replace Goodell when that time comes. Arthur Blank and Tiger Woods were part of the committee to select Rolapp for the PGA position, per Schlabach.

The subject of Goodell’s successor has come up many times in recent years, but the commissioner — who will begin his 20th year at the helm in September — is expected to receive another extension soon. Owners did not discuss the matter at their recent meeting, but Wickersham told Puck’s John Ourand (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) owners want to gather a clearer view of candidates who could take over for the long-serving leader before proceeding down the extension front again.

Rolapp’s exit continues a trend of potential Goodell replacement candidates moving out of the picture, with Florio adding a perception within the league exists that those who do become long-term Goodell lieutenants are not viewed as true candidates to succeed him. As it stands,no clear favorite exists to replace the league’s second-longest-tenured commissioner.

Considering Goodell’s salary hovers in the $60MM range, there will not be a shortage of aspiring commissioners. It will be interesting to see if Rolapp indeed circles back. For now, he will be part of a circuit navigating choppy waters as many of its top golfers left to join the LIV Golf League in recent years.