Gene Upshaw

Eugene Thurman Upshaw Jr. was born on August 15, 1945, in Robstown, Texas, and died on August 20, 2008. He played guard for the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the National Football League, spending his entire 15-year professional career with the team. After retiring, he became the executive director of the National Football League Players Association. In 1987, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He remains the only NFL player to appear in a Super Bowl with the same franchise in three separate decades.

Upshaw graduated from Robstown High School and played college football at Texas A&I University, an NAIA program now known as Texas A&M University–Kingsville. He was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. At age 22, in 1967, he married Jimmye Lee Hill; they had one son, Eugene Upshaw III, and later divorced.

The Oakland Raiders selected Upshaw in the first round of the 1967 NFL/AFL Draft, 17th overall. After playing multiple offensive line positions in college, he settled in at left guard for the Raiders. Over his career, he played in three Super Bowls—following the 1967, 1976, and 1980 seasons—making him the first player to reach the game in three different decades. He also appeared in three AFL Championship Games, seven AFC title games, one AFL All-Star game, and six NFL Pro Bowls. The Sporting News named him to the 1969 AFL All-League team.

During the 1976 season, Upshaw anchored a strong offensive line alongside center Dave Dalby and right guard George Buehler. In the 1976 AFC Championship Game, the Raiders rushed for 157 yards and passed for 88 yards to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. They then defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI, rushing for 266 yards and passing for 180 yards, as Upshaw overpowered Hall of Fame defensive tackle Alan Page. In the 1980 AFC Championship Game, the Raiders beat the San Diego Chargers with 138 rushing yards and 261 passing yards. In Super Bowl XV, they beat the Philadelphia Eagles with 117 rushing yards and 261 passing yards, as Upshaw, Dalby, and right guard Mickey Marvin outmatched Eagles nose tackle Charlie Johnson and inside linebackers Bill Bergey and Frank LeMaster. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Upshaw No. 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

Upshaw was the older brother of Marvin Upshaw, a defensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, and St. Louis Cardinals. Over his 16 seasons, Upshaw witnessed or participated in many iconic NFL moments, including the Heidi Game, the Immaculate Reception, the Sea of Hands Game, Ghost to the Post, the Holy Roller Game, and Red Right 88. He played in 24 playoff games with the Raiders.

Upshaw served on the NFLPA bargaining committee in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He led the union through an unsuccessful strike in 1987 and years of antitrust litigation, a period that included the NFLPA temporarily becoming a professional association rather than a union. The dispute ended with the union accepting a salary cap in exchange for free agency and a larger share of league revenue. He remained executive director until his death. During 1987 labor negotiations, Dallas Cowboys president Tex Schramm told Upshaw, "Gene, here's what you have to understand: we're the ranchers and you're the cattle, and we can always get more cattle."

Upshaw drew criticism from many retired players after comments about 325 former AFL and NFL players receiving minimal retirement benefits. He said, "The bottom line is I don't work for them. They don't hire me and they can't fire me. They can complain about me all day long.

They can have their opinion. But the active players have the vote." He later claimed he was misquoted and was speaking only about Hall of Famer Joe DeLamielleure, adding, "A guy like DeLamielleure says the things he said about me; you think I'm going to invite him to dinner? No. I'm going to break his damn neck."

While his comments were technically accurate under NFL benefit rules—the NFLPA represents active players, and retiree matters are negotiated between the union and the NFL Management Council—they were poorly received. Before his death, Ravens kicker Matt Stover reportedly led a campaign to oust Upshaw, though all parties denied it. Stover and others said they only sought a clear succession plan. Titans center Kevin Mawae, then NFLPA president, stated that Stover’s opinion did not represent the board of player representatives.

Upshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2004, the NCAA Division II sports information directors named an award after him.