Nov. 9 (UPI) — Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue died from apparent heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s Disease on Sunday, his family and the league announced. He was 84.
Tagliabue, who died at his home in Chevy Chase, Md., is survived by his wife, Chandler, son Drew, and daughter Emily.
“All of us in the NFL are deeply saddened by the passing of Paul Tagliabue, whose principled leadership and vision put the NFL on the path to unparalleled success,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
Tagliabue worked as a lawyer for the NFL before being selected as commissioner in 1989. He held the role until 2006, when Goodell succeeded him. His tenure included instituting free agency and the salary cap.
“Throughout his decades-long leadership on behalf of the NFL, first as outside counsel and then during a powerful 17-year tenure as commissioner, Paul served with integrity, passion, and an unwavering conviction to do what was best for the league,” Goodell said. “Paul was the ultimate steward of the game — tall in stature, humble in presence, and decisive in his loyalty to the NFL.
“He viewed every challenge and opportunity through the lens of what was best for the greater good, a principle he inherited from Pete Rozelle and passed on to me. … I am forever grateful and proud to have Paul as my friend and mentor. I cherished the innumerable hours we spent together, where he helped shape me as an executive but also as a man, husband, and father. Jane and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Tagliabue family, especially Chan, his wife of 60 years, and their children Drew and Emily.”
Tagliabue was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.