New Delhi, Nov. 10 -- Paul Tagliabue, the visionary leader who guided the NFL through 17 years of explosive growth and stability, passed away on Sunday morning at the age of 84. His family confirmed the news, citing heart failure complicated by Parkinson's disease as the cause. Tagliabue's tenure from 1989 to 2006 transformed the league into a global powerhouse.

Born in Jersey City, Paul Tagliabue excelled as a basketball player at Georgetown University before entering law. He joined the NFL as a lawyer in the 1970s, becoming the league's key advocate in Washington. In 1989, he succeeded Pete Rozelle as commissioner, inheriting a 28-team league amid labour tensions from the 1980s strikes.

Tagliabue's background in law and sports shaped ...