Pro football players have been wearing a patch on the upper shoulders of their uniforms with the initials "GU" since the start of the 2008 season. Prior to the start of that season, NFL Players Association President Gene Upshaw died of pancreatic cancer, and the players chose to honor him by wearing a commemorative patch.
NFL Union Chief
Gene Upshaw became the head of the players union in 1987. At that point, the NFL players went through a strike that saw the organization accept a salary cap from the league. While Major League Baseball players had resisted the salary cap, the NFL players capitulated. Nevertheless, Upshaw negotiated a deal that saw the owners agree to pay the players 53 percent of the league's gross receipts in terms of salary and benefits. Throughout the rest of Upshaw's tenure, the players saw salaries increase dramatically.
Playing Career
Prior to getting involved with the NFL Players Association, Upshaw had been a brilliant offensive guard with the Oakland Raiders. He played left guard for the Raiders and helped anchor one of the best offensive lines in NFL history. Upshaw was voted into the hall of fame in 1987.
Respect from Management
Prior to Upshaw's ascension to the presidency of the NFLPA, the league had endured a contemptuous relationship with former NFLPA chief Ed Garvey. Under Upshaw, both sides were civil and almost friendly with each other. While this led to some criticism of Upshaw from hard-line players, it also opened the doors to cooperative ventures with NFL management. When Upshaw died, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell honored his memory. "Gene was a truly unique, one-of-a-kind contributor to the NFL," Goodell said in a written statement issued by the league. "No one in our game has ever combined Gene's level of achievement both as a Hall of Fame player and as an executive leader. No one did more for NFL players than Gene Upshaw. He deserves our everlasting respect and thanks."
The Patch
The patch worn by players is an emblem that resembles a football. It has a large "GU" on it, for Upshaw's initials. It also has the number 63 on it, which is the number Upshaw wore when he played for the Raiders.
