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© Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesThe National Football League’s nonprofit status, which relates to its classification as a business league, was established in the 1960s as the NFL was negotiating its 1970 merger with the former American Football League.

Sens. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, and Angus King, Maine Independent, have started a push to end the not-for-profit status for the National Football League, saying it's only fair to taxpayers.

"This is a directed tax cut that [went] to the league office, which means every other American pays a little bit more every year because we give the NFL league office a tax break and call them a non-profit," Mr. Coburn said on CNN's "New Day." "In fact, they're not."

Mr. King said on the program the bill only taxes the money that goes to the league office.

"The teams are separate entities - they pay taxes and they have their whole situation," he said. "The league has a foundation, charitable - wouldn't affect that. This is talking about the [approximately $180 million] a year that goes into the league office."

"The NFL doesn't promote college football, high school football, arena football - it's a group of teams," Mr. King continued. "And by the way, I'm a huge NFL fan. I mean, sponsoring this bill may be wiping out my possibility of being a quarterback for the Redskins, which is a lifetime goal, but I don't think this is right."