Overview
- He led the NFL from 1989 to 2006 after Pete Rozelle, and Roger Goodell succeeded him.
- Under his stewardship the league expanded to 32 teams, adding the Panthers, Jaguars, modern Browns and Texans, alongside a nationwide stadium boom and record TV deals.
- He negotiated labor peace with the NFLPA, introduced free agency and the salary cap, and there were no work stoppages during his 17-year tenure.
- He made pivotal crisis decisions, canceling games after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and ensuring the Saints returned to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
- Goodell and the NFL issued tributes praising his leadership, while coverage also revisited criticism of the league’s concussion response during and after his tenure.