Wednesday, 06 May 2026

Gene Upshaw

Contest: The US Athletics Hall of Fame - Athletes 2026
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Football
Statistics & Accolades: 2 Super Bowl Championships (XI & XV)
1 AFL Championship (1967)
5 First Team All-Pros (1968, 1969, 1970, 1974 & 1977)
6 Pro Bowls (1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 & 1977)
1 AFL All-Star (1968)
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Named to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
Named to the NFL 75th Anniversary Team
Named to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team
Gene Upshaw was a renowned offensive guard for the Oakland Raiders, known for his remarkable consistency and championship wins. Selected in the first round of the initial merged NFL/AFL Draft, Upshaw protected the Raiders' offensive line for 15 seasons, notably forming the acclaimed "best left side of an offensive line" with tackle Art Shell. He remains the only NFL player to reach the Super Bowl with the same team in three different decades, participating in Super Bowl II (1960s), Super Bowl XI (1970s), and Super Bowl XV (1980s).

A perennial All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, he had nearly unmatched durability; he started 207 consecutive regular-season games and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, his first year of eligibility.

After his playing career, Upshaw took on a powerful, transformative role as the executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). He served from 1983 until his death in 2008. He was the first African American to lead a major players' union and a central figure in the landmark 1993 collective bargaining agreement that introduced full free agency and a salary cap to the league.

We are proud to nominate Gene Upshaw for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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