NFL Films president Steve Sabol dies

NFL Films president Steve Sabol has died. He was 69.

Sabol was heavily involved in NFL Films for five decades and his responsible for popularizing the game as a film visionary.

It was announced 18 months ago that Sabol was battling brain cancer. He was able to see his father Ed, the founder of NFL Films, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Steve Sabol was the creative genius behind the remarkable work of NFL Films,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement from the league. “Steve’s passion for football was matched by his incredible talent and energy. Steve’s legacy will be part of the NFL forever. He was a major contributor to the success of the NFL, a man who changed the way we look at football and sports, and a great friend.”

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune