""Paul was the ultimate steward of the game tall in stature, humble in presence and decisive in his loyalty to the NFL," Goodell said in a statement. "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.""
"Tagliabue oversaw a myriad of new stadiums and negotiated television contracts that added billions of dollars to the league's bank account. Under him, there were no labor stoppages. During his time, Los Angeles lost two teams and Cleveland another, migrating to Baltimore before being replaced by an expansion franchise. Tagliabue implemented a policy on substance abuse that was considered the strongest in all major sports. He also established the "Rooney Rule," in which all teams with coaching vacancies must interview minority candidates."
Paul Tagliabue died Sunday in Chevy Chase, Maryland, from heart failure at 84 and had developed Parkinson's disease. He served as NFL commissioner from 1989 to 2006 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in a special centennial class in 2020. Roger Goodell succeeded him. Tagliabue oversaw construction of many new stadiums and negotiated television contracts that added billions to league revenues. He maintained labor peace with no work stoppages, implemented a strict substance-abuse policy, and established the Rooney Rule requiring minority interviews for coaching vacancies. He was criticized for not taking stronger action on concussions.
Read at www.npr.org
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