Hall guard paved way on, off field

Staunch supporters and critics alike still were absorbing the news Thursday morning that Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame guard who served as executive director of the NFL Players Association since 1983, had died of pancreatic cancer at 63.

"I had no idea," said Vikings center Matt Birk, a harsh critic of Upshaw in recent years. "I came in this morning, and somebody told me. I was shocked."

Upshaw died Wednesday night at his home in Lake Tahoe, Calif. The NFLPA said Upshaw's cancer was diagnosed only last Sunday.

"It's a tragic loss," said Darren Sharper, Vikings safety and union representative. "He left a legacy that we are all benefitting from."

Before he became union chief and a controversial figure in labor relations and the treatment of disabled retired players, Upshaw was one of the most dominating guards the league ever has seen. He played 15 seasons with the Oakland Raiders (1967 to '81), reaching three Super Bowls, winning two of them, and seven Pro Bowls. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, his first year of eligibility.

In 1983, Upshaw became NFLPA executive director. He led the players through the 1987 strike, limited free agency in 1989 and the beginning of the current free agency system and salary cap in 1993.

Although Upshaw preferred no salary cap, the players are making an unprecedented 60 percent of the league's total revenue thanks to the most recent collective bargaining agreement signed in 2006 by Upshaw and then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. The owners dislike the deal so much they have since opted out of the contract, leaving the possibility of an uncapped season in 2010 and the potential for a work stoppage. Upshaw had vowed the cap never would reappear if there wasn't a new deal by March 2010.

"We need to try to continue what Gene did, and that's have labor peace," Sharper said. "That's the main thing. I think that was Gene's first and most important goal that he always tried to achieve."

According to ESPN.com, NFLPA General Counsel Richard Berthelsen has been named acting executive director. Possible permanent replacements include two recent past NFLPA presidents, Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong.

Upshaw has been at odds publicly with many retired players for the past two years. In 2006, more than 300 retired players went public with stories of being destitute and receiving insufficient disability benefits or being denied altogether by the retirement board.

There also had been a move by Baltimore Ravens kicker and player rep Matt Stover to overthrow Upshaw by next spring.

Birk also was among Upshaw's most vocal critics. The two spoke about their differences last summer when Upshaw visited Winter Park as part of his annual tour of NFL teams.

"He came up to me and said, 'You know, the funny thing is I think we both want the same thing,'" Birk said. "We kind of agreed to disagree. But, obviously, you look at the life he led and all the things he accomplished, it's pretty amazing. And he certainly leaves a legacy. He certainly made an impact in a lot of ways in the NFL."