On Saturday Jack Kemp, a star football quarterback who became a congressman, died after a long battle with cancer at the age of 73.

Kemp died of cancer at his home in Bethesda, Maryland, The New York Times reported.

He served as a Cabinet secretary and later became Republican vice presidential nominee.

“Jack Kemp was a remarkable American, a football player, student of history and economics, public citizen, strong family man, and national leader,” a former White House speaker Newt Gingrich released in a statement.

The New York Times National Football League