Gene Upshaw
 Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr.

Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. . .First who played guard exclusively to enter Hall. . .No. 1 draft pick, 1967. . .Won regular left guard job as rookie. . . Played in 307 games altogether. . .Possessed size, speed, intelligence, intensity, exceptional leadership ability. . .Extremely effective leading sweeps. . .Played in 10 AFL/AFC title games, three Super Bowls, seven Pro Bowls. . .All-league seven years, second-team All-NFL four other times. . .Born August 15, 1945, in Robstown, Texas.

Eugene Thurman Upshaw Jr. (born August 15, 1945 in Robstown, Texas) is a former football offensive guard who played for the Oakland Raiders for sixteen years after graduating from Texas A&I University. He played in three Super Bowls in the 1967, 1976 and 1980 seasons; he also played in ten title games in the American Football League and the American Football Conference and seven Pro Bowls. Upshaw is currently the only player in NFL history to play in 3 Super Bowls with the same team in 3 different decades.

He was an active member of the bargaining committee for the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA) throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. He led the NFLPA in its unsuccessful strike in 1987 and through years of anti-trust litigation against the league, including a brief period in which the NFLPA became a professional association rather than a union, that ended with the union's acceptance of a salary cap in return for free agency and an enhanced share of league revenues for the union's members.

Upshaw is a prominent member of Alpha Phi Alpha the oldest intercollegiate fraternity established for African Americans.

Gene Upshaw was the Oakland Raiders' first-round choice in the first combined AFL-NFL draft in 1967. The 6-5, 255-pound lineman had played center, tackle, and end while winning NAIA All-America honors at Texas A&I.

The Raiders' coaching staff decided left guard would be Gene's best pro position and Upshaw won the starting job in his rookie training camp. Upshaw’s size, it was felt, would help neutralize the effectiveness of Ernie Ladd and Buck Buchanan, two huge defensive tackles in Oakland’s division.

Gene held the guard spot for the next 15 seasons, starting in 207 straight regular season games until finally being forced out of action for one game in 1981. Upshaw returned the next week to play 10 more games in what turned out to be his final season. He was scheduled to play again in 1982, but an injury in the summer season put him on the injured reserved list for the entire campaign.

Altogether Upshaw played in an incredible 307 preseason, regular season, and post-season contests. Included in his 24 post-season games were three AFL and seven AFC championship games and Super Bowls II, XI and XV. Counting the AFL championship in 1967 and victories in Super Bowls XI and XV, Upshaw became the only player ever to start on championship teams in both the AFL and NFL.

Honors came frequently for Upshaw. He was named first- or second-team All-League or All-Conference 11 consecutive years, and he was named to play in seven Pro Bowls. Upshaw was an intense, intelligent, dedicated competitor who used his excellent size and speed to best advantage.

Extremely effective leading wide running plays; Gene was an integral part of the powerful offensive line that spawned the Raiders' lethal running attack of the 1970s. Recognized as a team leader, Upshaw captained the Raiders’ offensive unit for eight seasons.

Gene Upshaw has been Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association since June 1983, after a successful 16-year career as a player. Since then, Upshaw has worked diligently at enhancing, protecting and defending the individual rights of professional football players throughout the National Football League. Upshaw also serves as Chairman of National Football League Players Incorporated.

A perennial All-Pro offensive guard for the Oakland Raiders, Upshaw was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, his first year of eligibility. He played in 217 league games and appeared in six Pro Bowls. He was named Lineman of the Year in the AFC in 1973 and 1974. In 1977, he was voted top lineman in the NFL, and runner-up for that honor in 1980. Upshaw is the only player in NFL history to play in three Super Bowls in three different decades – in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

Upshaw was a team captain, while also serving as an NFLPA player representative and officer for 13 years. He served as alternate representative or player representative for the Raiders from 1970 to 1976 and was a member of the executive committee from 1976 through 1980 when he was elected president of the NFLPA, a post to be held until 1983.

As an officer of the NFLPA, Upshaw took part in all negotiations leading up to the 1977, 1982 and 1993 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFLPA and the NFL, and extensions of the CBA in 1996, 1998 and 2001.

“Gene shows the same level of ability at the NFLPA that he had shown on the field,” said Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner of the NFL.

Serving as an AFL-CIO vice president, Upshaw has emerged as one of the most powerful labor leaders in America.

“Gene is a man of common decency who doesn’t try to intimidate people. He has the sense of compassion that the great labor leaders all have,” said L.A. AFL-CIO chief Bill Robertson.

In 1980, Gene was a recipient of the prestigious Byron “Whizzer” White Humanitarian Award for outstanding contribution to “team, community and country.” In 1982, he was honored with the A. Phillip Randolph Award for significant accomplishments as one of the outstanding black leaders in America. In 1993, Upshaw was listed as 13 th in the top 100 most powerful people in sports, according to the 1993 edition of the annual list compiled by The Sporting News.

Upshaw has made the NFLPA a leader among players associations by making it the first such association to create a for-profit corporation for player group licensing. That company is called National Football League Players Incorporated, also known as PLAYERS INC, and Gene is the Chairman of the Board. This unique corporation has expanded beyond the typical association licensing activities. PLAYERS INC is involved in the creation, ownership and marketing of special events, promotions, publishing and recording and broadcasting project, just to name a few of its groundbreaking achievements.

Upshaw received his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&I University (now known as Texas A&M-Kingsville) in 1968. He has also done graduate studies at both Golden Gate Univer-sity and Lincoln University.

Upshaw and his wife, Terri, have two sons, Justin and Daniel. He also has a son, Eugene, Jr. from a previous marriage.

Career Highlights

• Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 8, 1987
• All-Pro or All-Conference eight times, played in six Pro Bowls and one AFL All-Star game
• All-time Raider leader in games played with 217
• Missed only one league game in career
• 207 consecutive league games and starts are both second on Raider list
• Only player in NFL history to participate in Super Bowls in three different decades (after 1967,1976 and 1980 seasons)
• Holds Raider all-time record with 24 playoff game starts
• Offensive team captain for nine years (1973-81)
• Only second guard inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame
• During 15-year active pro career, the Raiders made 11 playoff appearances, won eight division titles, one AFL Championship, two AFC titles and two World Championships of Professional Football
• Named to AFL-NFL 25-year All-Star, NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time and All Monday Night Teams
• Chosen to the Hall of Fame in first year of eligibility
• Currently Executive Director of NFL Players Association.