NFL Said to Prefer Attorney

Paul Tagliabue, a Washington attorney and National Football League counsel, was the preferred choice of owners to succeed Pete Rozelle as commissioner, according to a New York Post story.

Citing a copy of a May 23 confidential status report of the owners, the Post said Tagliabue, 48, had recommendations from eight of the 28 teams.

Jim Finks, president and general manager of the New Orleans Saints, was second with seven, and Jack Kemp, former quarterback of the Buffalo Bills and secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was third with six.

On July 6, at an owners’ meeting, Finks received 16 votes, three short of the 19 needed for election. Eleven owners abstained, most in protest of the selection process.

The search committee was then reorganized to include some of the unhappy owners, but the selection of a successor to Rozelle, who is retiring, still has not been made.

The Post report said Tagliabue was favored by Buffalo, Cleveland, Kansas City, Miami, Minnesota, New Orleans, the New York Jets and San Francisco. Buffalo and Cleveland also supported Finks, as did Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis and Washington.

Kemp was mentioned by Houston, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.