Pete Rozelle

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In 1960, Pete Rozelle was 34 years old and was the Los Angeles Rams' general manager. The National Football League, seemingly to the surprise of everyone, named the commissioner of the league.


Rozelle was the commissioner from 1960 to 1989, and in that time frame, the NFL grew more than any other team sport in North America. Rozelle guided the NFL while fending off the AFL, and he would oversee the merger of the two leagues. The Super Bowl grew annually with Rozelle, and when he resigned, it was the biggest single-day sporting event in the United States.


Rozelle also oversaw the league's expansion, bringing it up to 28 by 1989. Calm and collected, Rozelle weathered labor strikes, feuding owners and raised the national profile through television.

We are proud to nominate Pete Rozelle for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

Additional Info

  • Sport: Football Commissioner and Executive
  • Statistics:

    Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

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