NFL stands by Jay-Z amid rape allegation: ‘Our relationship is not changing,’ Roger Goodell says

The partnership between the NFL and Jay-Z and his entertainment company, Roc Nation, won’t change despite a woman accusing the rapper and business mogul of raping her when she was 13 years old, league commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday.

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, was added as a defendant Sunday to a civil lawsuit filed against fellow hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs in U.S. District Court in New York. The complaint, originally filed in October, now alleges that the two men raped the 13-year-old at a party after the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000.

Combs and Jay-Z have denied the accusations, with the latter issuing a lengthy statement Sunday vowing to fight the “idiotic” charges.

Goodell addressed the issue with reporters following the conclusion of the NFL owners meetings in Irving, Texas.

“We’re aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that,” Goodell said. “And we know obviously the litigation’s happening now. And from our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.”

In 2019, Roc Nation signed a deal with the NFL to consult on live music entertainment and social justice issues. The partnership has resulted in several well-received Super Bowl halftime shows — including performances by the Weeknd, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez as co-headliners, Rihanna and a West Coast hip-hip lineup that featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and more — and was renewed in October.

Kendrick Lamar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper who had three Billboard No. 1 hits in 2024, will be the halftime performer at Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Music superstar Beyoncé, who is Jay-Z’s wife, will perform during halftime of the Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans game on Christmas Day on Netflix.

“I think they’re getting incredibly comfortable with not just the Super Bowl but other events they’ve advised us on, helped us with,” Goodell said of Roc Nation. “They’ve been helpful in the social justice area to us on many occasions. They’ve been great partners that have provided a lot of great value for us.”

Combs has been charged by federal prosecutors with crimes including sex trafficking and racketeering. No co-conspirators have been named, but the prosecutors have stated their investigation is ongoing.