Frank Gifford, NFL & Broadcast Legend, Dead At 84

Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter

NEW YORK (CBS NEWS) - Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford has died. He was 84.

In a statement released by NBC News on Sunday, his family said Gifford died suddenly at his Connecticut home of natural causes that morning. His wife, Kathie Lee Gifford, is a host for NBC's "Today."

A versatile star on both offense and defense in an era when NFL players were starting to specialize, Gifford went on to a successful second career as a broadcaster on "Monday Night Football."

Gifford was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1956 when he led the New York Giants to a league championship.

"We rejoice in the extraordinary life he was privileged to live, and we feel grateful and blessed to have been loved by such an amazing human being," his family said in the statement. "We ask that our privacy be respected at this difficult time and we thank you for your prayers."

In a statement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called Gifford "an icon."

"Frank's talent and charisma on the field and on the air were important elements in the growth and popularity of the modern NFL," Goodell said. "He was a great friend to everyone in the league, a special advisor to NFL commissioners, and served NFL fans with enormous distinction for so many decades."

♦♦♦ Click Here To Read The Complete Story On cbsnews.com ♦♦♦

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)