He was a courageous advocate for his fellow NFL players as head of the NFL Players Association," Goodell said. "He worked closely with our office on many issues through the years, including serving as the first president of the NFL Youth Football Fund. He never stopped fighting the good fight. Our thoughts are with Sylvia and the Mackey family on the loss of our good friend." In a pair of Twitter entries, current NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith paid tribute to Mackey. "John Mackey has inspired me and will continue to inspire our players. He will be missed but never forgotten" reads a post on Smith's Twitter page. A previous post reads: "John Mackey is still a leader. As President of the NFLPA he led the fight for fairness with brilliance and ferocious drive." [+] Enlarge AP PhotoJohn Mackey, seen in 1970, helped redefine the tight end position with a mix of strength and speed. He suffered from frontotemporal dementia in later years that is believed to have been caused by the contact associated with playing football. Four years ago, the dementia forced Mackey into living in an assisted-living facility. But the cost of his care well exceeded his pension of less than $2,500 a month. His plight eventually led the NFL and the players' union to establish the "88 Plan" -- named for his uniform number -- providing for nursing home care and adult day care for retired players suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease. In 2010, Sylvia Mackey pledged to donate her husband's brain upon his death to a Boston University School of Medicine study of brain damage in athletes. The university's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy is researching potential links between repeated concussions and CTE, a condition which mirrors symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. As the first president of the post-merger players' union, Mackey started fighting for improved salaries and benefits for players. In July 1970, he organized a players' strike that resulted in an additional $11 million in pensions and benefits, according to The Baltimore Sun. Mackey also filed and won an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL which eliminated the so-called "Rozelle Rule," named for then-commissioner Pete Rozelle, which mandated equal compensation for teams that lost free agents and had the effect of limiting free-agent signings. The ruling set the stage for the players' union to eventually achieve full free agency. "We were a fractured group until John began putting permanence in [the union's] day-to-day operations," said teammate and former union president Ordell Braase, according to The Sun. "He had a vision for that job, which was more than just putting in time and keeping the natives calm. You don't get anything unless you really rattle the cage." Mike and Mike in the Morning ESPN NFL reporter Sal Paolantonio says the death of John Mackey is a reminder for the players of what they are fighting for. Paolantonio also talks about the current state of the lockout. More Podcasts " Drafted in 1963 from Syracuse, Mackey, at 6-foot-2 and 224 pounds, helped revolutionize the position of tight end by bringing the added dimension of speed, forcing defenses to account for him not only as a blocker but as a breakaway threat. "Previous to John, tight ends were big strong guys like [Mike] Ditka and [Ron] Kramer who would block and catch short passes over the middle," former Colts coach and fellow Hall of Famer Don Shula said, according to The Sun. "Mackey gave us a tight end who weighed 230, ran a 4.6 and could catch the bomb. It was a weapon other teams didn't have." If Mackey did not run past defenders, he ran through them. "Defensive backs fell off of him like gnats," said Baltimore Colts teammate Jerry Hill, according to The Sun. "John didn't have a fluid gait -- he looked like a plowhorse -- but you didn't want to touch him for fear of getting caught up in the wheels." "Sometimes you had a sense that, given the option, John would rather run over you than outrun you," added former Colts teammate Bob Vogel, according to The Sun. In 1966, six of Mackey's nine touchdown receptions came on plays of 50 yards or more. His speed led the Colts to use him as a kick returner in his rookie season. " Previous to John, tight ends were big strong guys ... who would block and catch short passes over the middle. Mackey gave us a tight end who weighed 230, ran a 4.6 and could catch the bomb. It was a weapon other teams didn't have. " -- Hall of Fame coach Don Shula He caught 35 passes for 726 yards and a career high 20.7-yard average as a rookie in 1963, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl. Mackey also played a crucial role in the Colts winning Super Bowl V in 1971. His catch of a Johnny Unitas pass that had been deflected by two other players -- Colts receiver Eddie Hinton and Dallas Cowboys defender Mel Renfro -- went for 75 yards and a touchdown. The Colts won 16-13 on Jim O'Brien's 32-yard field goal with 5 seconds left. Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Ozzie Newsome also offered their condolences on Mackey's passing. "I was fortunate to get to know John and Sylvia personally, and I was struck by her love and loyalty throughout the difficult times of his illness," Bisciotti said. "John set the standard by which tight ends are measured on the field, and he will be sorely missed not only by his family, but also by the entire Baltimore community. " "John revolutionized the tight end position during his Hall of Fame career, and he laid the foundation on and off the field for modern NFL players," Newsome added. Syracuse named Mackey, who played for the Orange from 1960-62, to its all-century team in 1999 and retired his No. 88 in 2007. His legacy is remembered yearly when the John Mackey Award is bestowed upon the player deemed college football's best tight end. ESPN national correspondent Sal Paolantonio and The Associated Press contributed to this report. ESPN Conversations + Add your comment The NFL on ESPN.com HOT BUTTON: Comeback choice Plaxico or Tiki: Who's the better option? FANTASY FOOTBALL Mass: The two-quarterback conundrum Harris: Replicating Vick's success Draft kit | Mock 1.0 | Top 300 Projections | FFL signup POWER RANKINGS: Best player Graziano: QBs dominate discussion Bloggers debate | Division reaction Chadiha: These 10 stand out BEST OF NFL Graziano: Why the Redskins like Beck Clayton: What Mackey meant to the game Kuharsky: Jags' Thomas a true No. 1? Joyner: What Peterson means to Cards Walker: Five ways Flacco can silence critics Clayton: Still an uphill climb for RBs Sprow: Future value of Peterson, CJ Fawkes: Bears have many flaws Tucker: Opinions may vary on lockout Clayton mailbag: Crunch time on labor front Yasinskas: Sharper, Barber on HOF bubble Sprow: What is Kevin Kolb really worth? Joyner: Terrelle Pryor's no Cam Newton Kiper: NFC East offseason breakdown Clayton mailbag: Pressure for deal growing FBO: Ten most disappointing oversights SCOUTS INC. Scouts Eye: Ranking AFC South RBs Will Wilson's role for Cards change? Scouts Eye: Ranking NFC South WRs Can Seattle's Curry justify draft spot? BEST OF NFL WEEK: Teams Clayton: Look for longevity NFC: West | East | North | South AFC: West | East | North | South BEST OF NFL WEEK: Coaches Chadiha: Strengths, styles vary NFC: West | East | North | South AFC: West | East | North | South BEST OF NFL WEEK: Players Chadiha: These 10 really stand out NFC: West | East | North | South AFC: West | East | North | South ESPN THE MAG ULTIMATE STANDINGS Which NFL team is No. 1? Keating: Why Packers deserve kudos NFL BLOG NETWORK AFC: East | South | North | West NFC: East | South | North | West FOLLOW THE NFL ON TWITTER ESPN's NFL coverage on Twitter " ALSO SEE MORE NFL HEADLINES MyESPN NFL MLB NBA NHL NCAA FB NCAA BB NASCAR SOCCER GOLF TENNIS BOXING MMA MORE SPORTS INSIDER SN RADIO& MORE PAGE 2& COMMENTARY FANTASY& GAMES WATCH NFL Home Scores Schedule MNF Standings Stats Teams
