Inleaguecircles,hewasverypopular."Forfivedecades,SacàDosKankenPasCher,Mr.Ford'spassionfortheLions,Detroit,andtheNFLwasthefoundationofoneoftheNFL'shistoricfranchises,"NFLCommissionerRogerGoodellsaidinastatement."AsanNFLowner,Mr.FordhelpedbringtheNFLthroughenormousperiodsofchangeandgrowth,alwaysguidedbyhiscommitmenttowhatwasbestfortheNFLandhisbelovedLions."