Gene Upshaw Dies at Age 63

Gene Upshaw, long time head of the NFL Players Association, died yesterday of pancreatic cancer. He was 63 and had only recently been diagnosed with cancer after having felt ill.

He leaves behind an NFLPA that while far more prosperous than it was when he took over is more divided as well -- with threats of public mutiny by players, public criticism by former players and internal dissention within the union over the past few years. The NFL Ownership has exercised an option in the current collective bargaining agreement to opt out of the final year of the agreement -- leading to the potential of playing 2010 without a salary cap. Upshaw had stated that should the cap expire, he would never sell the concept of a cap to the players again.

Upshaw was scheduled to leave office in 2010, and there has been some disagreement as it regards succession planning. According to Bloomberg, he hadn't publicly disclosed his illness; according to a thread on a google usenet group, he was diagnosed last week with the cancer.

As a player, Upshaw was the Raiders' first pick in the first combined AFL-NFL draft and played Left Guard on the Raiders' offensive line from 1967 through 1981, during which time he won two Super Bowl championships and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He became Executive Director of the NFLPA in 1983.

Ravens kicker Matt Stover was actively campaigning for Upshaw's removal from office as late as April 2008, and over the past several years the issue of disability benefits for retired players -- or lack thereof -- has been the subject of a public campaign by such former players as Mike Ditka.

This leaves the NFLPA without clear leadership heading into collective bargaining negotiations of great significance, at a time in which the expectation would be Upshaw would be at the helm throughout.

While the sporting and football worlds has lost a leader, the NFLPA is now in need of coming together with a coherent vision of what they wish to achieve in upcoming negotiations -- something which has been historically difficult with Upshaw's consistent leadership over the last 25 years -- and we as fans have entered a time of uncertainty whether our favorite sport will suffer another labor disruption.

He is survived by his wife and three sons.

Godspeed, Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. - August 15, 1945 -- August 20, 2008