Paul Tagliabue
Paul John Tagliabue was born on November 24, 1940, in Jersey City. He was educated at Georgetown University before pursuing legal training at New York University School of Law, a path that would place him at the center of professional American football for nearly two decades.
Tagliabue worked as a lawyer and, in that capacity, served as legal counsel to the National Football League before ascending to the organization's highest administrative office. In 1989 he took the position of NFL Commissioner, a role he held until September 1, 2006. In addition to his legal career, Tagliabue also worked as a basketball player. He received the Theodore Roosevelt Award, a distinction that recognized his standing within American public and institutional life.
Tagliabue died on November 9, 2025, in Chevy Chase. He was 84 years old at the time of his death. His tenure as NFL Commissioner, spanning from 1989 to 2006, represents the most formally documented chapter of a career that began in law and carried him into the administration of professional sport at the national level.
Quotes by Paul Tagliabue
Paul Tagliabue's insights on:
The Saints are Louisiana’s team and have been since the late ‘60s when my predecessor Pete Rozelle welcomed them to the league as New Orleans’ team and Louisiana’s team. Our focus continues to be on having the Saints in Louisiana.
The Players Association has on the table a demand which doesn’t recognize the reality of our league’s economics today. It’s a very excessive and unrealistic demand.
I’m a firm believer that all sports will eventually be global. Someday, we may have a quarterback from China named Yao Fling.
Concussions is one of these pack journalism issues, frankly. There’s no increase in concussions. The number is relatively small. The problem is, it is a journalist issue.
We need to continue to be aggressive on this issue of minority hiring -- not just for head coaches, but for the front office -- in many, many different ways.
While his limited vision does not allow him to distinguish between a bear and a woman in a fur coat, we're sure he can adequately officiate the most important game of the season.
There are a lot of things yet to be accomplished to make it more than a one-year arrangement. There are a lot of chicken-and-egg decisions. It's a complicated situation.