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Upshaw Left His Mark

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By IRA KAUFMAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 22, 2008

TAMPA - Whether he was flattening linebackers in the open field or staring down NFL owners across the bargaining table, Gene Upshaw left quite a mark.

A Hall of Fame guard for the Oakland Raiders, Upshaw displayed the same singular sense of purpose as executive director of the NFL Players Association for a quarter-century until his death Wednesday night in Lake Tahoe, Calif., of pancreatic cancer at the age of 63.

That's the same number he wore with such distinction for the silver and black, teaming with Hall of Fame tackle Art Shell to form a devastating left side.

"Gene Upshaw's career successes as a professional football player and a union leader are unparalleled," said Raiders owner Al Davis, who drafted Upshaw out of Texas A&I in 1967 because he needed someone to block mammoth Kansas City defensive tackle Buck Buchanan, who would also end up in Canton. "He is as prominent a sportsman as the world has known."

After Upshaw became head of the union in 1983 amid prolonged strife between players and owners, he helped usher in more than two decades of uninterrupted labor peace.

Although Upshaw was criticized for being too cozy with former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, his last deal was so favorable for his constituents that owners recently opted out of the collective bargaining agreement.

"Gene was a wonderful man who did so much for NFL players," said Bucs defensive end Kevin Carter, vice president of the NFLPA's Executive Committee. "He gave his life to the union. That's dedication. There are a lot of issues we need to address, but we're together. We're unified. Gene was the one who brought us together."

In recent years, Upshaw was vilified by some former players for not doing more to rectify inequities in pension and disability issues.

Upshaw's lucrative compensation package, estimated at more than $6 million per year, also came under fire as he was criticized for turning his back on the men who helped build pro football into America's No. 1 sport.

"Gene represented the players the way I would want to be represented - with understanding, integrity and a steadfast commitment to doing what was right for them and what was best for the game," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said.

Fiercely competitive, Upshaw often appeared stung by the ferocity of the personal attacks, many coming from players he had competed against in 15 NFL seasons.

For the most part, he maintained his composure and insisted the union was making steady progress to address the mistakes of previous administrations.

All the while, Upshaw served as a role model.

"Gene was a true pioneer as one of the few African-American leaders of a major union," Shell said. "He was the equal of owners in negotiations and made the league a better place for all players."

Under the current CBA, players receive 60 percent of league revenues, and their collective payout comes to $4.5 billion, according to NFL owners.

"Gene Upshaw did everything with great dignity, pride and conviction," Commissioner Roger Goodell said.

Under Upshaw's tenure, the league instituted a free-agency system and a salary cap that cultivates competition among 32 franchises.

The union has announced the appointment of general counsel Richard Berthelsen as interim executive director until a permanent replacement for Upshaw is named.

"Gene's biggest asset was his understanding of the business of the game, and you always knew that his concern for the game's best interests guided his actions," Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said.

When Bucs coach Jon Gruden led the Raiders from 1998-2001, he became familiar with Oakland's championship legacy. Upshaw, who won two Super Bowls and earned seven Pro Bowl berths with Oakland, owns a special place in the franchise's storied history.

"Gene was a Hall-of-Fame man and a Hall-of-Fame player," Gruden said. "He leaves quite a legacy."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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