Paul Tagliabue, longtime NFL Commissioner, dies at 84

Paul Tagliabue, who led the NFL for 17 years as commissioner, guiding the league through an era of labor peace and financial growth but facing criticism for his handling of concussion issues, died Sunday of heart failure at age 84.

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NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tagliabue’s family informed the league of his death in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Tagliabue, who had developed Parkinson’s disease, succeeded Pete Rozelle in 1989 and served until 2006. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the centennial class in 2020. Current Commissioner Roger Goodell succeeded him.

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"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."

News of Tagliabue's death came shortly before seven games kicked off Sunday. The Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings held a moment of silence for Tagliabue and for Marshawn Kneeland, the Dallas Cowboys' defensive tackle who died Thursday.

Building a Modern NFL

Tagliabue oversaw a wave of new stadiums and negotiated television contracts that added billions of dollars to the league’s bottom line. Under his leadership, there were no labor stoppages.

During his tenure, Los Angeles lost two teams and Cleveland another, which moved to Baltimore before being replaced by an expansion franchise. Los Angeles eventually regained two teams.

He also implemented a strong policy on substance abuse and established the "Rooney Rule," requiring teams to interview minority candidates for coaching jobs — a policy later expanded to front-office positions.

When he took office in 1989, the NFL had just one Black head coach. By the time he stepped down in 2006, there were seven.

Challenges and Controversies

Tagliabue’s tenure was not without criticism, especially regarding concussions. The issue has dogged the league for decades, and he was faulted for not acting more decisively.

In 2017, he apologized for remarks made in 1994 that downplayed the problem, saying he regretted his "intemperate" language and acknowledging that better data was needed at the time.

Despite that, Tagliabue was praised for his steady hand and decisiveness in difficult moments — most notably when he canceled NFL games following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, one of the few times the public compared him favorably to Rozelle.

Labor Peace and Lasting Legacy

On the labor front, Tagliabue’s leadership was widely considered exemplary. One of his first major moves was to reach out directly to players’ union leader Gene Upshaw, forging a cooperative relationship that helped maintain labor stability and shared growth.

"When Paul was named commissioner after that seven-month search in 1989, that’s when the league got back on track," said longtime NFL executive Joe Browne.

Before becoming commissioner, Tagliabue had been the NFL’s Washington lawyer and a partner at Covington & Burling. His selection followed a contentious process but ultimately unified the league’s owners and set the stage for continued expansion.

From Scholar-Athlete to Steward of the Game

Born Nov. 24, 1940, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Tagliabue captained Georgetown’s basketball team and graduated in 1962. He later earned his law degree from NYU and worked in the Defense Department before joining Covington & Burling, where he developed close ties with Rozelle and the league.

Though reserved with the media, Tagliabue was known for compassion behind the scenes. After 9/11, he comforted employees who had lost loved ones and personally attended Mass with them in New York.

Hall of Famer Art Shell, who worked alongside him, said, "His philosophy on almost every issue was, ‘If it’s broke, fix it. And if it’s not broke, fix it anyway.’"

Tagliabue is survived by his wife Chandler, son Drew, and daughter Emily.