Overview
- His family said he died Sunday at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, from heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s disease.
- He served as commissioner from 1989 to 2006, succeeding Pete Rozelle and preceding Roger Goodell, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
- Under his leadership the league expanded from 28 to 32 teams, introduced free agency and a salary cap, and struck increasingly lucrative media deals.
- He led pivotal decisions during national crises, postponing games after the Sept. 11 attacks and backing the Saints’ return to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
- His tenure is remembered for sustained labor peace with the NFLPA under Gene Upshaw as well as later criticism of the league’s handling of concussions.