Jerry Jones had input on compensation committee, not in increasing percentage of Roger Goodell's contract

— -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones watched each other address the media Wednesday afternoon at the conclusion of the league's owners meeting. The two shook hands after Goodell finished.

"My relationship with Jerry has been great. Don't always agree. ... But again, I think that's what the strength of our league is," Goodell said. "As a league, we're stronger when 32 teams are together. We have our differences, but we work together to resolve those differences."

Jones had submitted a resolution allowing him to address Goodell's contract extension and raise his concerns about the deal with his fellow owners at Wednesday's meeting.

"I know how much Roger Goodell loves the National Football League. And he should love it even more after now," Jones said, drawing laughter from the media in attendance. "But he does loves this league, there's no questioning that in my mind. And he's been very good to this league."

"As with any organization, you have to evolve and you have to make changes. And frankly, that is what this has been about. Did I cause them to be made? ... It takes 32 owners to make the changes. And if anything was done differently with this contract it was done by all 32 owners," he said.

Jones didn't have a role in increasing the percentage of Goodell's contract that isn't guaranteed, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday.

Blank, chairman of the NFL's compensation committee, said Jones did, however, have input on possible changes to how the committee is put together.

"... if there is a better way of selecting the compensation committee, I'm certainly open to that, and if membership approves it, it's fine with me," Goodell said at the conclusion of the owners meeting.

NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said Wednesday that 90 percent of Goodell's contract will be incentive-based, which Lockhart said was an increase in non-guaranteed income over previous deals. 

"If Roger comes in and knocks it out of the ballpark, he'll really be rewarded," Jones told USA Today Sports earlier Wednesday. "You've got to hope that he has that kind of performance.

"There are no easy layups here on his bonuses. He's got to come in there and lead the division in high scoring."

Lockhart confirmed that Goodell sees the contract as his final one overseeing the NFL, a sentiment previously reported by ESPN. Goodell, however, said Wednesday he hasn't "made any determinations" on his future.

"This is something that I'm looking forward to the challenges. I think the league is in a great position, but we obviously have challenges just like any other industry. Excited about addressing those, and I think we're doing that in a position [of] strength," he said.

Blank said Jones' thoughts on how the compensation committee is constituted have been considered in the past -- such as how the chairman and co-chairman are appointed and what role ownership has in how the committee members cycle off. He said the committee will discuss the recommendations at next year's annual meeting.

When the Cowboys and Falcons played last month in Atlanta, the respective owners skipped their customary pregame talk on the field. On Wednesday, Blank was asked if his relationship with Jones had changed.

"I've got a great respect for Jerry," Blank said. "I spoke to him ... on the phone about a week and a half ago. It was a very good conversation. I thanked him, which I didn't get a chance to do, or chose not to do really, the time we played because I didn't think it was the right setting."

Blank and Jones ran into each other Wednesday afternoon. Blank extended his hand to Jones and asked, "Are we OK?" Jones shook his hand and answered firmly, "We are OK." The two then spoke privately for several minutes.

Blank said the committee's handling of Goodell's extension was the most transparent he has seen in 35 years, going back to the tenures of Paul Tagliabue and Pete Rozelle. Blank said owners were updated in general meetings and with multiple phone calls.

"We were not necessarily connected totally on how this process should have been handled," Blank said of his relationship with Jones. "We went to great lengths to make sure we were completely transparent."

Jones' dispute with Goodell surfaced in reports after the commissioner suspended Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott for six games for violating the league's personal conduct policy, regarding an allegation of domestic violence in a case prosecutors in Ohio didn't pursue.

Jones has denied that the suspension was the impetus for his objections over Goodell's contract.

"I don't know that there's a rift going forward," Blank said. "I think that Jerry, he loves the league, he loves the Cowboys, he's very passionate about issues that he cares deeply about, which is great. I think it's important to have different voices in the room."

Jones has been a vocal advocate of delaying Goodell's extension, complaining about the high price tag of the deal and his view that there has been a lack of transparency by Blank in negotiating it.

In early November, Jones hired famed attorney David Boies as part of a threat to sue the league if the compensation committee approved Goodell's extension -- an extension that all owners, including Jones, authorized in May. No suit was ever brought.

ESPN's Jim Trotter and The Associated Press contributed to this report.