By the mid-1980s, Frontiere had passed much of the Rams' daily financial and football management responsibilities on to key executives. According to ESPN, "When it came to football matters, Mrs. Frontiere delegated to longtime team President John Shaw, to whom she granted considerable autonomy." As the decade began, the '70s Rams players gradually retired, but the team still reached the playoffs seven times between 1980 and 1989.
As the 1980s progressed, Frontiere shifted much of the Rams' day-to-day financial and football decision-making responsibilities to senior executives. At that time, ESPN reported that when it came to football issues, Mrs. Frontiere entrusted longtime team President John Shaw with a significant amount of authority.