In a posting regarding the passing of Executive Director Gene Upshaw, the NFL Players Association discloses that Upshaw first became aware of his illness on Sunday, August 17.

It was only two days after his 63rd birthday.

Four days later, he was gone.

Upshaw had been fighting pancreatic cancer, a disease that often develops silently, producing no symptoms until the final stages of the illness.

The news has sent shock waves throughout the league, and many executives and agents are still stunned by the news.

Though Upshaw was at times a polarizing figure, his contributions to the game were immense.  If he weren’t already in the Hall of Fame for his performance on the field as a long-time member of the Oakland Raiders, Upshaw would merit immediate induction based on his body of work on behalf of the players.

On Upshaw’s watch, the players finally realized their goal of true free agency. And the salary cap system that came with it created a strong sense of parity, giving every team an equal chance of building a winning team. Along the way, Upshaw secured for the players nearly 60 cents of every dollar that was generated by the game.

We send out our deepest condolences to Gene Upshaw’s family, friends, and colleagues at the NFLPA.