Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) celebrates following Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 25, 1981, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by MPS/NFL)

A flag at the Pro Football Hall of Fame flies at half staff in honor of the passing of NFLPA Executive Director and Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw on August 21, 2008 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Pro Football Hall of Fame)

LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 4: Hall of Famer and former Raiders guard, Gene Upshaw, attends a game between the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 4, 1988 in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders won 21-20. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw (63) pulls to block during a 24-12 victory over the San Diego Chargers on October 26, 1969, at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Charles Aqua Viva/NFL)

PHOENIX - JANUARY 31: Executive director of the National Football League Players Association Gene Upshaw speaks to the media during a news conference prior to Super Bowl XLII at the Phoenix Convention Center on January 31, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw in 1981. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)

WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 27: National Football League Players Association Executive Director Gene Upshaw testifies before the US House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection about the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports on Captiol Hill February 27, 2008 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Hall of Fame defensive end Jack Youngblood (85) of the Los Angeles Rams and Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) wear the stains of turf they battled over during the Rams 20-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders on December 4, 1977 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by NFL)

DETROIT - FEBRUARY 03: Peyton Manning (C) of the Indianapolis Colts poses Connie Payton, wife of deceased star Walter Payton, and Gene Upshaw, President of the NFL Players Association, with the Walter Payton Man of the Year trophy during a press conference on February 3, 2006 at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

PHOENIX - JANUARY 31: Executive director of the National Football League Players Association Gene Upshaw speaks to the media during a news conference prior to Super Bowl XLII at the Phoenix Convention Center on January 31, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw in 1981. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)

Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) during Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 25, 1981, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)

The Oakland Raiders offensive line--Henry Lawrence (70), Mickey Marvin (65), Dave Dalby (50), and Hall-of-Famers Gene Upshaw (63) and Art Shell (78)--before Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 25, 1981, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ross Lewis/NFL)

Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw in 1981. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)

PHOENIX - JANUARY 31: Executive director of the National Football League Players Association Gene Upshaw speaks to the media during a news conference prior to Super Bowl XLII at the Phoenix Convention Center on January 31, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)