It would be difficult to exaggerate the magnitude of the deal consummated between the NFL and ESPN this past week. Perhaps impossible.

The baseline agreement looks like this: The league gets a 10-percent ownership stake in the network, while ESPN acquires major elements of NFL Media, including NFL Network, linear and multisport branding rights to RedZone, and other assets.

It’s a seismic and unprecedented partnership — and one that comes with myriad questions, some of which cannot be answered until we’re actually experiencing how it all works after the deal kicks in for the 2026 NFL season.

Yes, 2026, not this season. The deal must go through the regulatory process, which may bring complications and demands that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro can’t p

See Full Page