Thursday, August 21 2008 -- Gene Upshaw, who was a Hall of Fame NFL guard, has died of pancreatic cancer. Upshaw, who was president of the pro football players union for 25 years, was instrumental in helping players attain free agency and better salaries.

Upshaw, who was an 11-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection, played offensive guard for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1967-1981. He played in three Super Bowls, winning two and became a Hall of Fame member in 1987.

Upshaw, an intimidating presence on the field, stood six-foot-five and weighed 255 pounds. The Raiders chose him in the first-round of the combined 1967 AFL-NFL Draft. With the Raiders, he started 207 games straight. He played in a total of 217 regular-season contests.

In 1983 after retiring as a player, Upshaw, who was a NFL Players Association (NFLPA) bargaining committee member when with the Raiders, became the executive director of the union. He guided the players through their 1987 strike and fought to create anti-trust legislation against the league. In exchange for free agency, the NFLPA accepted a league salary cap. The deal that Upshaw brokered gave the players a larger share of league revenues.

At times, players felt that Upshaw was too soft in dealing with the league. Matt Stover, Baltimore Ravens kicker, had recently instigated a movement to replace Upshaw as the NFLPA executive director. He was hoping to have him step down and a new union head in charge by March 2009.

Upshaw noted that he did not want to resign until he had negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement with the owners. He said, "I would never leave until this deal is done."

Upshaw is survived by his wife, Terri, and sons, Justin, Daniel and Eugene Jr.