American Football

Vintage Wilson leather football

Vintage Wilson leather football (the 1970's) - Pete Rozell commissioner signature.

Alvin Ray "Pete" 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 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 NFL-AFL merger and the creation of the Super Bowl, and helped the NFL move from a twelve-game schedule to its current 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.