NEW YORK, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Ad Council announced today that Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), will be honored with the organization’s prestigious Award for Public Service at its 71st annual Public Service Award Dinner on December 4, 2025, at the Glasshouse in New York City.
“Roger’s visionary leadership has not only transformed the NFL into a global force for good, but also elevated the power of sports to unite, inspire and drive meaningful change. His commitment to community and public service embody the very spirit of our mission at the Ad Council and we’re proud to celebrate a leader who proves that some of the biggest plays can happen off the field,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council.
Roger Goodell has served as the Commissioner of the NFL since September 1, 2006, following a career that began in 1982. Over the years, he held key roles across departments, eventually being appointed the league’s first Chief Operating Officer in 2001. As Commissioner, Goodell has overseen remarkable growth, with the NFL expanding its global reach, revenue and fan engagement. He has prioritized player health and safety through new rules and better equipment. Goodell has also negotiated long-term media deals with CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, NBC and Amazon, bringing Thursday Night Football to streaming, and spearheaded groundbreaking deals with YouTube for NFL Sunday Ticket and Netflix for the NFL’s Christmas games. Under his leadership, the NFL remains the most widely accessible professional sport, with nearly 90 percent of games available on free television (including in the competing teams’ home markets) and record-breaking viewership.
Goodell has also championed the league’s commitment to public service—advancing cultural connection, supporting military families and frontline workers and launching initiatives that promote mental health, education and social justice across communities nationwide. The NFL has been a proud partner of the Ad Council for more than 25 years, including playing a leading role in major campaigns like the COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, “Love, Your Mind” Mental Health Initiative and other critical social impact programs.
“On behalf of the NFL, it’s an honor to be recognized by the Ad Council, an organization that has long championed the power of communication and media to drive positive change,” said Goodell. “Alongside NFL players and clubs, we embrace our responsibility to use our platform to make a meaningful and sustainable impact in communities across the country and world.”
The Ad Council’s Public Service Award Dinner is the organization’s largest fundraising event, bringing together leaders from the media, marketing, advertising and technology industries. The 2024 Dinner raised over $9.2 million to support the Ad Council’s national social impact campaigns.
Previous recipients of the Ad Council’s Award for Public Service include CEO of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase Jamie Dimon, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson Alex Gorsky, former Chairman and CEO of IBM Ginni Rometty and former CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi.
This year’s event will be co-chaired by the incoming Chair of the Ad Council’s Board of Directors Rita Ferro, President, Global Advertising at The Walt Disney Company and the Ad Council Board Member Tim Ellis, CMO of the National Football League.
For more information and to purchase tables or tickets, please visit the event website.
ABOUT THE AD COUNCIL
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. For more than 80 years, the nonprofit organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country’s most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more.
To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and view campaign creative on YouTube.
SOURCE The Ad Council
