(Sports Network) - Steve Sabol, President of NFL Films, died of brain cancer
at the age of 69 on Tuesday.
In March of 2011, Sabol learned that he had a brain tumor that couldn't be
removed. He died just weeks away from his 70th birthday.
Sabol started out as a cameraman for the company alongside his father Ed, who
founded the company and was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"Steve was the creative genius behind NFL Films' remarkable work," NFL
Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday in an email to NFL personnel. "Steve's
passion for football was matched only by his talent and energy. He was a major
contributor to the success of the NFL, a man who changed the way we looked at
football and sports, and a great friend. His legacy is assured.
"Steve was an incredible visionary. He spent 50 years at the NFL and changed
the way we see pro football. So when you're watching the games this week, it's
worth remembering just how much Steve contributed to the way we think, see,
and love our game."
NFL Films has won 107 Emmys.
Sabol is survived by his wife, Penny, his son Casey, his parents Audrey and
Ed, and his sister Blair.
The Sports Network