“Modern Family” Star Explains Why He Once Turned Down Roger Goodell’s Super Bowl Invitation

It’s no secret that Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell are good friends. However, what might surprise fans is that Stonestreet once turned down Goodell’s Super Bowl invitation—not because he wasn’t interested, but because he’s a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan.

During an interview with Graham Bensinger aired on Thursday, Stonestreet explained his decision not to attend the Super Bowl despite Goodell’s personal gesture. The reason was also personal: Stonestreet wanted to wait for a Super Bowl featuring the Chiefs. He wasn’t interested in watching a game between any other teams. He recounted:

“So he (Goodell) called me and invited me to the Super Bowl because the girls were fans of ‘Modern Family’. I turned him down. I said, ‘I’m not going to the Super Bowl until the Chiefs are in it,’ and he said, ‘Okay, if you want to wait that long,’ and I’m like ‘mother ******.’”

Given the Chiefs’ achievements over the past two years, Stonestreet must be thrilled as Andy Reid and Co. aim at a three-peat. He’ll likely be among the attendees if the Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl this year.

While Stonestreet’s loyalty to the Chiefs is clear, the ‘Modern Family’ star also shared an incident that highlighted Goodell’s commitment to the rules of the game by saying:

“I’m not a fan of some of the rules in the NFL. To his (Goodell) credit, he always supports his officials, he always supports the rules of the game, and he’s very knowledgeable about them. Shockingly so. If I make a comment about a flag, he’ll tell me what the rule is within a minute. And if he doesn’t know, he’ll forward me an email to the head official.”

With Goodell maintaining such a firm stance on the rules, fans can hope he continues to focus on improving officiating standards in the league, especially after another season starting with officiating controversies.