Oct. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Commissioner Roger Goodell said Rush Limbaugh’s “divisive” commentary wouldn’t be welcome in the National Football League.

Goodell said at a league meeting in Boston today that he disagreed strongly with statements Limbaugh made in 2003, when the radio commentator was forced to resign from ESPN’s football telecasts after saying Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated by the media because he is black.

“I’ve said many times before, we’re all held to a higher standard here and I think divisive comments are not what the NFL is all about,” Goodell said. “I would not want to see those kind of comments from people who are in a responsible position in the NFL, absolutely not.”

Goodell said that Rams representatives told owners at today’s meeting that they haven’t fully committed to selling the team, which is being shopped by Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Limbaugh and St. Louis Blues owner David Checketts are part of one of several groups bidding for the Rams, who have lost their last 15 games. DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, has expressed disapproval of Limbaugh’s bid. Reverend Al Sharpton, president of the nonprofit civil rights group National Action Network, sent a letter to Goodell asking for a meeting to discuss the “myriad of reasons” Limbaugh shouldn’t own a team.

Colt’s Owner

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay also said Limbaugh’s rhetoric made him unattractive as a potential partner in the league. A franchise transaction would have to be approved by 24 league owners.

“I myself couldn’t even think of voting for him,” said Irsay.

Irsay told reporters he wouldn’t want to approach men such as Tony Dungy, who became the first black coach to win a Super Bowl when he led the Colts to the title after the 2006 season, to discuss Limbaugh’s bid.

“I’m very sensitive to know that there are scars out there,” Irsay said. “We’ve got to watch our words in this world and our thoughts because they can do damage.”

No Details

Limbaugh, 58, said last week in a statement that he can’t give details of his partnership with Checketts, citing a confidentiality agreement with Goldman, which has hired by the family of former owner Georgia Frontiere.

Limbaugh’s show is syndicated on about 600 stations. In 2008, he signed an eight-year, $400 million contract with Clear Channel Communications Inc.

In 2003, Limbaugh was pressured to resign as a commentator for ESPN’s NFL pregame show after he said race was the reason McNabb was getting too much credit for his team’s success.

“What we have here is a little social concern in the NFL,” Limbaugh said at the time. “The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.”

Sharpton cited Limbaugh’s statement about McNabb in his letter to the commissioner, along with other comments he said Limbaugh made about former No. 1 draft pick Michael Vick, who pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges and served 18 months of a 23-month prison sentence.

Sharpton also criticized a recent quote in which Limbaugh, who grew up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, said the NFL was beginning to look like a gang fight between the Crips and Bloods without the weapons.

Forbes magazine says the Rams franchise is worth $913 million, 25th among the league’s 32 teams. The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable NFL team, at $1.65 billion, the magazine said.

Goodell said that because the Rams made it clear there were multiple bidders for the team, and didn’t name any, it was too early to comment on any member of one of those bids.

“They have not even committed fully to selling the franchise,” Goodell said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Aaron Kuriloff in Boston at akuriloff@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 13, 2009 15:39 EDT