Editing Jim Finks (section)

===Later career===
On January 14, 1986, Finks took charge of a [[New Orleans Saints]] team that never had experienced a winning season in its 19-year history. His first move was to hire a new coach, [[Jim E. Mora|Jim Mora]]. Success came more quickly for Finks in New Orleans than it had in either Minnesota or Chicago. In just his [[1987 NFL season|second season]], the [[1987 New Orleans Saints season|Saints]] won 12 games for their first winning season ever. Finks was named NFL Executive of the Year for the second time.

When NFL Commissioner [[Pete Rozelle]] retired in [[1989 NFL season|1989]], Finks was the leading candidate to replace him. He was the only candidate put forward for the job by a six-owner search committee ([[Wellington Mara]], [[Lamar Hunt]], [[Art Modell]], [[Robert Parins]], [[Dan Rooney]], and [[Ralph Wilson]]). However, a group of 11 newer owners who wanted more of a voice in the selection process abstained from voting, preventing Finks from receiving the 19 votes necessary to become Commissioner.<ref name=George2>{{cite news|last=George|first=Thomas|title=After Election of Finks Is Blocked, N.F.L. to Try Again|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/08/sports/football-after-election-of-finks-is-blocked-nfl-to-try-again.html|access-date=June 12, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 8, 1989}}</ref><ref name=Eskenazi>{{cite news|last=Eskenazi|first=Gerald|title=Finks May Still Wind Up as Commissioner|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/20/sports/finks-may-still-wind-up-as-commissioner.html|access-date=June 12, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 20, 1989}}</ref> Six months later, a second meeting was held and it ended with 13 votes for Finks and 13 for attorney [[Paul Tagliabue]].<ref name=Oates>{{cite news|last=Oates|first=Bob|title=NFL Deadlock Keeping Rozelle Tied Up|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-13-sp-230-story.html|access-date=June 12, 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 13, 1989}}</ref> At a third meeting, a compromise was reached by the two groups that would make Tagliabue Commissioner and Finks president in charge of football operations. However, Finks declined this position and Tagliabue was elected by an undisclosed number of votes.<ref name=George>{{cite news|last=George|first=Thomas|title=Tagliabue Is Elected N.F.L. Commissioner|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/27/sports/tagliabue-is-elected-nfl-commissioner.html|access-date=June 12, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 27, 1989}}</ref>