The NFL is honoring the late Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame player and the head of the NFL Players Association, who died of cancer on August 20th, 2008. All NFL teams will wear a "GU" patch on their uniforms for the entire season.

Upshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, for his achievements as both a player and a union leader. He played for The Oakland Raiders from 1967 to 1981.