Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
As I called around the league today, many seemed to be in a state of shock about Gene Upshaw's death. I've talked to one former Cowboys player who said that current player reps should meet immediately to discuss Upshaw's replacement.
I also received a statement from Giants president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch a few minutes ago:
Mara: "This is a tremendous loss for professional football. Gene was an outstanding advocate for the players and he made many great contributions to our sport. He was also a good and decent man. He will be sorely missed."
Tisch: "Gene will always be remembered for his great contributions to the game and our league, both as a player and as the leader of the players association. We are all indebted to him for his guidance, direction and his vision.