Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle | |
|---|---|
Rozelle in 1975 | |
| 4th Commissioner of the NFL | |
| In office January 26, 1960 – November 5, 1989 | |
| Preceded by | Austin Gunsel (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Paul Tagliabue |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alvin Ray Rozelle March 1, 1926 South Gate, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 6, 1996 (aged 70) Rancho Santa Fe, California, U.S. |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Compton College |
| Awards | Sportsman of the Year (1963) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1944-1945 |
| Battles / wars | |
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American football career | |
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle (/roʊˈzɛl/; March 1, 1926 – December 6, 1996) was an American professional football executive. Rozelle served as the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) for nearly thirty years, from January 1960 until his retirement in November 1989. He became the youngest commissioner in NFL history at the age of just 33. He is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world.
During his tenure, Rozelle saw the NFL grow from 12 teams to 28, oversaw the creation of large television-rights deals and the creation of Monday Night Football in 1970, oversaw the 1970 AFL–NFL merger and the creation of the Super Bowl, and helped the NFL move from a twelve-game schedule to a sixteen-game schedule. By the time of his retirement, many people considered him the most powerful commissioner in sports. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.