A major NFL executive is leaving for an opportunity on the PGA Tour.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports NFL executive vice president Brian Rolapp is leaving the league to join the PGA Tour in a new, CEO role. Rolapp has been with the NFL for over two decades and played important roles in the league’s growth over that span.
Goodell sent a memo to league owners and executives on Thursday, informing them of the news.
Brian Rolapp, a highly respected longtime NFL executive who some consider as the potential successor to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, is leaving his post as the league’s EVP to become PGA Tour CEO, sources tell @sethwickersham and me.
Rolapp spent 22 years with the NFL, and…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 12, 2025
Rolapp’s decision to jump from the NFL to the PGA Tour may have strong implications for both organizations moving forward. Here’s a breakdown of what it means.
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Who is Brian Rolapp?
Brian Rolapp is now a former NFL executive vice president, as he spent 22 years with the league. Rolapp served many roles in his time with the NFL. Most recently as the league’s chief media and business officer since 2017, along with working heavily with the NFL Network.
Rolapp is a graduate of BYU and became one of Roger Goodell’s top lieutenants over the past two decades. He is largely responsible for the NFL’s growth in television and digital media over the past two decades, an area where the league has surpassed its counterparts.
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Brian Rolapp-Roger Goodell relationship
Rolapp was long considered to be the eventual successor to Roger Goodell as the NFL’s next commissioner. Rolapp is 14 years younger than Goodell, who is 66, and he is currently in his 20th year as NFL Commissioner, which is one of the longest tenures of that role in the league’s history.
Rolapp’s first year with the NFL was 2003, which was just three years before Goodell officially took over as commissioner. He rose within the league’s ranks to become Goodell’s second-in-command for business decisions.
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Is Jay Monahan leaving PGA Tour?
No, Jay Monahan is not leaving the PGA Tour after the hire of Rolapp.
Rolapp will serve as the PGA Tour’s CEO, which is a position that will report to Monahan. The former NFL executive will be the first CEO in the Tour’s history. He will assist Monahan with business decisions, including negotiations with the LIV Tour.
According to Sports Business Journal, Monahan and the PGA Tour announced a search for a new CEO in December, with the intention that they would hire someone from outside the tour.
