NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks at a press conference before the Super Bowl two weeks ago.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks at a press conference before the Super Bowl two weeks ago. REUTERS

Roger Goodell's five-year contract extension will pay him about $20 million per year by the end of agreement much to the dismay of at least one current NFL player.

The $20 million figure is an eye-popping number to be sure, but it will actually bring him in line with other professional league commissioners like Major League Baseball's Bud Selig who makes more than $20 million per year.

News of his monster deal did not sit well with some players, many of whom have been very critical of Goodell and the league for the lockout, new head shot rules and punishments handed out for legal transgressions.

"How in the hell can u pay a man this much money that cant run tackle or catch," Falcons wide receiver Roddy White posted on Twitter on Monday. "Roger Goodell is getting over never seen anything like it 20 million for looking over the league with tremendous help I guess the NFL is banking. The NFL is not a company it's a nonprofit organization that makes a lot of profit."

So far, White has not been punished for the tweets, but Goodell and the NFL have fined players in the past for speaking out against the league.

Goodell's current deal pays him roughly $10 million, but according to a report from The Sporting News that figure will double by the end of his term in 2018. At $20 million, Goodell would make more than every player in the NFL made last year except Peyton Manning who got $23 million from the Colts despite not playing a single down.

To some observers, this new deal for Goodell, especially coming at a time when he has three seasons left on the current one, is a reward for his role in ending the NFL lockout this offseason. The lockout was a big success for ownership as the new settlement gives the owners a greater percentage of profits than they would have had under the old system.

During the lockout, Goodell famously promised to take only $1 in salary in a gesture designed to help bridge the gap between the two sides and to win fan support.