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NFLPA Director Gene Upshaw Dies at 63
Rob Phillips - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
August 21, 2008 4:44 PM
Upshaw earned six Pro Bowls and was named to the 1970s All-Decade Team.
IRVING, Texas - Eugene Upshaw devoted his entire adult life to the National Football League, first as a Hall of Fame guard and then as the NFL Players Association's executive director for the past 25 years.
Upshaw died at his Lake Tahoe, Calif., home of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday night, just four days after he was diagnosed with the disease. He was 63.
Upshaw became the NFLPA director in 1983 after winning three Super Bowls with the Oakland Raiders from 1967-81. The league established free agency during his tenure, resulting in unprecedented prosperity for players despite the simultaneous introduction of a hard salary cap.
"Gene Upshaw was a friend and someone I will miss dearly," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. "Few men have made more contributions to the National Football League. I enjoyed working with Gene. He brought all of the competitive qualities of a Hall of Fame offensive lineman to the negotiating table. He cared about so many people, and he loved the game.
"All of the young men who play in the NFL today owe a great debt to Gene, and all of us who enjoy the success of the NFL will be forever indebted to Gene."
Upshaw's passing comes at a critical time in the league's collective bargaining situation. The owners have opted out of the current labor agreement set to expire in 2011, which could lead to an uncapped season in 2010 and possible lockout in 2011.
As a player, Upshaw earned six Pro Bowls and was named to the 1970s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
"Gene Upshaw did everything with great dignity, pride, and conviction," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "He was the rare individual who earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame both for his accomplishments on the field and for his leadership of the players off the field. He fought hard for the players and always kept his focus on what was best for the game. His leadership played a crucial role in taking the NFL and its players to new heights.
"Gene's tremendous love of the game also showed in his wide-ranging support of football at all levels. It is a sad day for the NFL, but Gene's positive impact and legacy will live on for decades to come. All of us in the NFL reach out with our sympathy to (Upshaw's wife) Terri and the Upshaw family."
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
August 21, 2008 4:44 PM
Upshaw earned six Pro Bowls and was named to the 1970s All-Decade Team.
IRVING, Texas - Eugene Upshaw devoted his entire adult life to the National Football League, first as a Hall of Fame guard and then as the NFL Players Association's executive director for the past 25 years.
Upshaw died at his Lake Tahoe, Calif., home of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday night, just four days after he was diagnosed with the disease. He was 63.
Upshaw became the NFLPA director in 1983 after winning three Super Bowls with the Oakland Raiders from 1967-81. The league established free agency during his tenure, resulting in unprecedented prosperity for players despite the simultaneous introduction of a hard salary cap.
"Gene Upshaw was a friend and someone I will miss dearly," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. "Few men have made more contributions to the National Football League. I enjoyed working with Gene. He brought all of the competitive qualities of a Hall of Fame offensive lineman to the negotiating table. He cared about so many people, and he loved the game.
"All of the young men who play in the NFL today owe a great debt to Gene, and all of us who enjoy the success of the NFL will be forever indebted to Gene."
Upshaw's passing comes at a critical time in the league's collective bargaining situation. The owners have opted out of the current labor agreement set to expire in 2011, which could lead to an uncapped season in 2010 and possible lockout in 2011.
As a player, Upshaw earned six Pro Bowls and was named to the 1970s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
"Gene Upshaw did everything with great dignity, pride, and conviction," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "He was the rare individual who earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame both for his accomplishments on the field and for his leadership of the players off the field. He fought hard for the players and always kept his focus on what was best for the game. His leadership played a crucial role in taking the NFL and its players to new heights.
"Gene's tremendous love of the game also showed in his wide-ranging support of football at all levels. It is a sad day for the NFL, but Gene's positive impact and legacy will live on for decades to come. All of us in the NFL reach out with our sympathy to (Upshaw's wife) Terri and the Upshaw family."
