Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue Has Died at 84

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has died at 84. Tagliabue, served as NFL Commissioner from 1989-2006. Tagliabue was elected to succeed Pete Rozelle on Oct. 26, 1989 to become the seventh chief executive of the NFL. On Sunday morning in Chevy Chase, MD., his family officially announced his passing. The apparent cause of death was heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s disease. Survivors include his wife Chandler, son Drew, and daughter Emily.

Paul is noted for many positives when it comes to the NFL. For instance, Tagliabue oversaw a myriad of new stadiums improving the fan experience and negotiated television contracts that added billions of dollars (estimates are $25B) to the league. Furthermore, under him, there were no labor stoppages.

Despite such favorable outcomes, Tagliabue was also met with criticism. During his tenure, LA lost two teams and Cleveland another, migrating to Baltimore before being replaced by an expansion franchise. Additionally, there was also the issue of player health and safety. During his 17 years as commissioner Paul was criticized for not taking stronger action on concussions.

So then, there was good and bad. Advancements yet disappointments. But under Tagliabue the National Football League experienced transformation.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement on the passing of his predecessor. Goodell says,

“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. 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. 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.

During his Hall of Fame NFL career, Paul fostered labor peace with our players, oversaw the expansion of the league to 32 teams, ushered in an era of state-of-the-art stadiums and laid the important groundwork of establishing the league as a global brand. He helped modernize the structure of the league office and its business operations, providing the playbook for the NFL’s strategic embrace of his era’s emerging technologies including cable, satellite and the internet. Paul was a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion and guided the league through the challenges of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.

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 entire Tagliabue family, especially Chan, his wife of 60 years, and their children Drew and Emily.”

Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue Has Died at 84

As mentioned, Tagliabue was elected to the Hall of Fame. He received this honored designation in January 2020 as part of the Centennial Class of 2020. His formal enshrinement ceremony was on August 7, 2021, as it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paul Tagliabue is one of four NFL commissioners/presidents in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Along with Joe Carr, Bert Bell and Pete Rozelle. Our thoughts are with the Tagliabue family, their friends and Paul’s many colleagues.

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