Paul Tagliabue, who was the NFL commissioner for 17 years and put his stamp on the most popular sport in the country, died Sunday morning at his home in Chevy Chase, Md., his family announced. He was 84.
The apparent cause of death was heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s Disease, his family said.
Tagliabue became commissioner in 1989, taking over for Pete Rozelle, and did not step down until 2006, when Roger Goodell’s reign began.
Tagliabue, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, oversaw overwhelming prosperity and growth during a tenure in which the NFL expanded from 28 to 32 teams; in which massive TV contracts grew the league into a behemoth; and in which no strikes or lockouts were seen.
He is survived by his wife, Chandler, son Drew, and daughter Emily.
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