Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has accused the NFL and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank - who serves as the chairman of the competition committee - of misleading the league's owners in regards to Roger Goodell's contract extension negotiations, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, citing a letter obtained by ESPN.
The league has replied, returning accusations that Jones, who has reportedly threatened to sue the NFL over Goodell's negotiations, has been the one misleading other owners about contract talks, adds Mortensen.
An NFL spokesman said on a conference call Thursday that the league expects Goodell's five-year extension to be finalized soon, though he did not specify a date. The spokesman also said the owners unanimously voted for the league to move forward with offering Goodell an extension, however, the vote was done in May.
Jones was terminated from his non-voting spot on the NFL's compensation committee by Blank on Saturday, citing the Cowboys owner's desire to sue the league as reason for dismissal. Jones believes "critical facts" have not properly been represented in Goodell's contract and that Blank has a biased relationship with the commissioner, making him unfit to be in charge of the negotiations.
"Commissioner Goodell's contract extension is a substantial commitment by the Owners, as more than $200 million is at stake, on top of the $200 million already paid to him," Cowboys general counsel Jason Cohen stated in the letter, which was sent to all owners. "This is in addition to the unique and largely unfettered power exercised by the Commissioner. Ownership can't have the Chairman let us down again."
Jones' Cowboys and Blank's Falcons play each other this Sunday in Atlanta.
