The NFL declined an invitation for commissioner Roger Goodell to testify before Congress, marking the league’s latest move as it navigates rising political and regulatory pressure about its media policies.
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) sought to bring in Goodell for a June 10 hearing in Washington to examine the NFL’s television deals and compliance with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. The league, however, turned that down, citing “ongoing litigation related to the topic of the hearing” in a reply letter to Jordan.
“We have been working with your staff since September 2025 and respectfully believe we have answered the questions presented to the league over the past several months,” wrote NFL EVP and general counsel Ted Ullyot.
Similar to the league’s dialogue with other members of Congress and regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, the league is again touting its ongoing presence on broadcast television.
Ullyot detailed a planned exposure of 87% of its games in the upcoming 2026 schedule on broadcast television. That percentage has stayed flat for the past five years, and is down from 88% as far back as 2013. The figure also remains at 100% for the home markets of the competing teams in each game.
