Family and friends honored the life and memory of longtime NFL Films president Steve Sabol on Tuesday night, paying tribute to the man who was the driving force in chronicling many of the greatest moments in NFL history.
Several hundred of Sabol's friends, family and colleagues gathered at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia for "The Guts and Glory of Football" -- a presentation showcasing some of the work Sabol did during his time at NFL Films. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, former Kansas City general manager Carl Peterson and NFL Films executive Bob Ryan were among those who spoke at the event.
"We consider Steve Sabol to be the (NFL's) greatest ambassador," Kraft said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Goodell discussed the importance Sabol and his father, NFL Films founder Ed Sabol, played in promoting the game and how passionate they were for storytelling: Goodell quoted Steve Sabol when he learned his father would be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: "Tell me a fact, and I'll learn. Tell me a truth, and I'll believe. But tell me a story, and it will live in my heart forever."
Sabol died Sept. 18 following an 18-month battle with brain cancer. He was 69.
He took over NFL Films from his father in 1985 and won more than 40 Emmy awards and oversaw 107 Emmys for NFL Films. He was the Sporting News' 2002 "Sports Executive of the Year."