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Paul Tagliabue, the former NFL commissioner who helped expand and grow the league into a sporting powerhouse, has died. He was 84.
A former lawyer, Tagliabue led the NFL from 1989 until 2006.
His death Sunday morning at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, was announced by his family in a statement. His cause of death was reportedly heart failure complicated by Parkinson's Disease.
Tagliabue’s successor as NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, told CBS Sports: "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.”
Tagliabue was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on November 24, 1940. He received an athletic scholarship to play basketball at Georgetown University, and later graduated from New York University School of Law. From 1969 to 1989 he practiced law at the Washington, D.C. firm Covington & Burling, where he acted as a lawyer for the NFL.
In 1989, Tagliabue was selected by the owners of the NFL to take over as the league’s commissioner. During his time in charge Tagliabue oversaw the expansion of the league from 28 teams to 32. The Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars joined the league in 1995, the Cleveland Browns were revived in 1999 and the Houston Texans joined in 2002.
Tagliabue was credited with helping NFL revenues soar under his leadership, from about $1.4 billion in his first year to more than $6 billion annually by the time he stepped down.
He also worked to promote the NFL overseas, founding the World League of American Football which evolved into NFL Europe. As commissioner he was praised for his decisiveness in choosing to postpone games in the 2001 season following the 9/11 attacks, the first time the NFL had canceled that many games since the 1980s. He played a key role in the New Orleans Saints returning to the city following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft paid tribute to Tagliabue, telling the Boston Herald: “He was a leader who made an indelible impact on the National Football League.
“Paul was a man of integrity and a tireless advocate for the game. During his tenure, Paul guided the league through transformative growth, expanding its reach and strengthening its foundation. His unwavering belief in the power of football to unite communities set a standard that continues to inspire us all.”
Tagliabue is survived by his wife Chandler, son Drew and daughter Emily.
