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How Much Trouble Is the NFL In, Really?

The league’s recent push to sign new rights deals with its media partners and ongoing relationship with the streamers has opened it up to a wave of regulatory inquiry. But is any of the scrutiny more than just a headache?

NFL
"If the plaintiffs are saying they want $2 billion, or even $1 billion, to settle this case, that could impact things like the salary cap. Of course, with its business model on the line, you’d think the NFL would be very receptive to even that amount," says Eriq Gardner. Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
John Ourand
April 20, 2026

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A couple of weeks ago, over dinner, a veteran lobbyist asked a table of media executives to name a time when Capitol Hill had ever shown this much interest in the sports business. Nobody had an answer. From the F.C.C. to the Justice Department to various House and Senate committees, the NFL’s media rights strategy has become a topic of conversation in Washington in a way that even seasoned hands couldn’t recall.