NFL Players to Wear Uniform Patch This Season in Honor of Gene Upshaw

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NFL players will wear a uniform patch this season to honor deceased NFL Players Association leader Gene Upshaw who passed away on August 20 at the age of 63. The league announced today that the patch (which will be worn on the left chest of each jersey) will have the initials GU and the number 63, which Gene wore while playing for the Oakland Raiders. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement:

“Gene was a truly unique, one-of-a-kind contributor to the NFL. No one in our game has ever combined Gene’s level of achievement both as a Hall of Fame player and as an executive leader. No one did more for NFL players than Gene Upshaw. He deserves our everlasting respect and thanks.”

This Thursday night, Gene will be honored as his wife Terri and his three sons — Eugene, Jr., Daniel and Justin — participate in the coin toss prior to the kickoff of the NFL season at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey when the Washington Redskins play the New York Giants.

I think this is a great move by the league and it’s very fitting that every team (not just the Raiders) will be wearing the patch. Gene served 25 years as the executive director of the union and his leadership helped the NFL and its players attain unprecedented success.

Source: ESPN.com