Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who led the league to new heights of economic prosperity during his 17-year tenure but drew scrutiny for his handling of the league’s concussion crisis, died Sunday in Chevy Chase, Maryland, his family announced. He was 84 years old.
Tagliabue’s apparent cause of death was heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s disease, which she was diagnosed with about seven years ago.
Mr. Tagliabue, previously the league’s attorney, served as NFL commissioner from 1989 to 2006, replacing Pete Rozelle. During that time, he helped the league navigate several crises, including the decision to postpone games after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His ability to maintain peace among broker workers and avoid work interruptions is widely credited as a major factor in the league’s economic boom during his tenure. During his time at the helm, billions of dollars poured in from multiple new media rights deals, and the franchise’s value soared.
The Tagliabue era saw significant team movement, with two new organizations taking off during that time, the 1995 Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and two other cities reviving teams with the rebooted Cleveland Browns (1999) and Houston Texans (2002). During his time as commissioner, 20 new stadiums were built, marking the beginning of the facility weapons wars and helping to further increase the value of the team.
Under his watch, the league also introduced free agency and a salary cap.
However, some of Tagliabue’s statements and decisions regarding concussions and head injuries clouded his time. In 2017, he apologized for saying in 1994 that his “speech was relatively small. The problem is with journalists.”
“There were some things we did that we should have done sooner,” Tagliabue told USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell in 2021. “But in the long run, it suggests that what happened over the past 20 years may not have made that much of a difference. In other words, I think that in most cases we did the things that could have made the most difference at the time.”
After Tagliabue retired, he was replaced by current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Tagliabue was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020 as a member of the Centennial Class.
“All of us at the NFL are deeply saddened by the passing of Paul Tagliabue. His principled leadership and vision set the NFL on a path to unparalleled success,” Goodell said in a statement. “Through decades of leadership on behalf of the NFL, first as outside counsel and then during his strong 17-year tenure as commissioner, Paul served with integrity, passion and an unwavering belief in doing what was best for the league.
“Paul was the ultimate steward of the game, with a tall, humble presence, and a fierce 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.”
