Tagliabue stepping down after 16 years as NFL commissioner
Paul Tagliabue is retiring as NFL commissioner in July after more than 16 years on the job.
The 65-year-old league leader has been in charge since 1989, when he succeeded Pete Rozelle, and agreed last March to stay to complete the new television and labor deals.
He finally got that done 12 days ago, finishing the most arduous labor negotiations since the league and union agreed on a free agency-salary cap deal in 1992.
“I believe that now is a positive time to make the transition to a new commissioner,” Tagliabue said in a statement.
“We have a collective bargaining extension in place, long-term television contracts, and have undertaken many other strong elements in league and club operations,” he said. “I am honored to have been commissioner since late 1989 and to have been heavily involved with the league, its owners, clubs, coaches, players, fans and media since 1969.”
Roger Goodell, the NFL’s chief operating officer, and Atlanta general manager Rich McKay are the two leading candidates to succeed Tagliabue. Baltimore Ravens president Dick Cass is considered to have an outside chance.
Tagliabue has said he wants to avoid the kind of seven-month deadlock that occurred between him and the late Jim Finks after Rozelle stepped down in March 1989. Owners will begin the search for a new commissioner at their meetings next week in Orlando, Fla.
Tagliabue’s phone call with the news went to Pittsburgh’s Dan Rooney, the NFL’s senior owner. The other owners learned of his retirement via e-mail.
“We’ve got the best labor deal in sports. We’ve got the best league. He’s been our leader. The whole way he’s done this has been wonderful,” Rooney told the AP.
Tagliabue will stay on with the NFL as a senior executive and a consultant through 2008, part of the contract extension he signed last July.
His term will be remembered most for labor peace following strikes in 1982 and 1987. His close relationship with Gene Upshaw, the union’s executive director, led to a long-term agreement after five years without a contract.
But the bargaining was hard this time, with three straight deadline extensions needed. The agreement avoided the prospect of entering free agency this year with the possibility of an uncapped year in 2007.
He also oversaw a massive stadium building program. More than two-thirds of the NFL’s 32 teams are either playing in or building stadiums that didn’t exist when he took.
Before taking on this job, Tagliabue was a league lawyer who spent much of that time as the NFL’s representative and unofficial lobbyist in Washington.
Seahawks lose Hutchinson
The Seattle Seahawks, who were told they needed to match the guarantee provision in the $49 million, seven-year Minnesota offer to All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson if they wanted to keep him, said no thanks.
A team official for the NFC champions confirmed they let the league’s 9 p.m. Monday (PST) deadline pass without doing anything, making one of the keys to their Super Bowl season now the highest-paid Vikings lineman.
In fact, Hutchinson’s agent, Tom Condon, said the Seahawks never contacted him about possibly matching the offer after Hutchinson signed the unprecedented offer sheet on March 12.
When asked if Hutchinson wanted to leave the team that drafted him 17th out of Michigan in 2001, Condon said: “Not at all. I think that there wasn’t any reason for him to leave Seattle.
“Nevertheless, Minnesota really stepped out for him.”
The Vikings’ seven-year deal includes $16 million guaranteed and is the richest deal ever given to a guard.
Harrington not in Lions’ plans
The Detroit Lions are parting ways with Joey Harrington after four turbulent seasons in which the former third overall draft pick went from franchise savior to fans’ scourge.
Although he declined to say whether Harrington had been released, coach Rod Marinelli told reporters: “We’ve made a decision to move on.”
“At this moment, he’s not with us,” he said. “That’s been my decision.”
Harrington, the third overall pick in the 2002 draft, was 18-37 as a starter with the Lions under three coaches: Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci and Dick Jauron, who took over when Mariucci was fired in 2005.
Around the league
Cornerback Will Allen signed a $12 million, four-year contract with the Miami Dolphins after spending the last five seasons with the New York Giants. The Dolphins also signed tight end Justin Peelle to a three-year deal. … The Eagles released quarterbacks Mike McMahon and Andy Hall, three days after signing 36-year-old Jeff Garcia to be Donovan McNabb’s backup. … Craig Nall agreed to a three-year contract with Buffalo, believing the Bills will give him the best shot as a backup QB. … Kansas City re-signed defensive end Carlos Hall to a one-year contract after his first season with the Chiefs was hampered by injuries. … William Henderson will return for a 12th season with the Green Bay Packers, who re-signed the free agent fullback.