Disabled NFL Players Tell Woes To Congress

Aging Players With Disabling Injuries Ask Lawmakers To Settle Dispute Between NFL And Players' Union

(CBS/AP) 
But the NFL and the NFL Players Association told lawmakers that pensions for older players are on the rise. Last week, they agreed to allow any former player who qualified as disabled under the Social Security system to be considered as disabled under the NFL-NFLPA system.

"I don't think a law change is necessary," NFL Senior Vice President Dennis Curran said. "I don't accept that the process is broken."

Retired football players have been openly critical of the NFL and the players' union over the amount of money older retirees get from a $1.1 billion fund set aside for disability and pensions.

The league says $126 million a year goes into pension and post-career disability benefits for retired players and their families. The accounts pay out $60 million a year to those players, $20 million of it for disability payments.

But only 317 out of more than 10,000 eligible players are getting disability payments out of that fund, officials said.

"Its right versus wrong," said Mike Ditka, a Hall of Fame Coach and player for the Chicago Bears. "It's do the ethical thing or do the wrong thing. So far, they've chosen to do the wrong thing."

Lawmakers zeroed in on the fact that the players' union only represents active players, not retired players. But the union and the NFL owners decide who sits on the panels that decide whether retired players get disability payments.

"We have a group that should be protected, but is not being protected," said Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla.

NFL and NFLPA representatives noted that the benefits in the disability and pension systems are set through collective bargaining negotations between the players and the owners.

"Many of the players who now complain about their pension did not view pension benefits as a priority when they were playing, and did not agree to make sacrifices in bargaining to improve either their pensions or the pensions of those who came before them," said Douglas Ell, the lawyer for NFL's retirement plan.

In the most recent collective bargaining agreement, payments from the pension fund were raised by 25 percent for players who retired before 1982 and 10 percent for those who retired after 1982.

[thgdriver]

FOLKS have medical problems after playing professional football?? Huh, who the hel! is surprised at that one? Where do they get the 8000 dollar figure? A little quick math tells us that's $96,000.00 a year for getting hurt doing something inherently dangerous. Play football, save some money, take care of YOURSELF. I don't have a problem with a pension of 800 to 1000 a month but 96,000.00 a year seems a bit much.

[brianbwb-2009]

The big salaries some here speak of only happened recently, check the average salaries over the years, you will find the average player of the 80's did not earn so much money. Using only the highest paid "superstars" as a frame of reference is ignorant of the facts.

At any rate, the unions are unable to negotiate, as their positions have been eroded by the neocon zeitgeist, so it may very well be apropos for government to step in. The club owners make billions off the blood and bodies of these men, a fairer compensation, on a case by case basis is in order, we're not talking about millions, or hundreds, or even tens of thousands of people here.

If the owners are too greedy to help those who made their fortunes, then by all means force them to do it.

[mizpah63]

Congress might better occupy it's time worrying about healthcare for the nations' uninsured and underinsured children. How Congress can involve itself in the business of the NFL is unbelievable. The players have a union; let their elected union representatives negotiate on their behalf. Based on observation and media-reported player behavior, players think they are invincible. Therefore, they fail to plan for catastrophic injuries and the end of their careers -- often quite short. Players earn substantially more money per year per capita than John Q. Public. Any sympathy for these individuals and their lack of foresight is misplaced.

[rafterman1]

These guys built the game we see today, a game that has made BILLIONS in PROFITS. But currently, these players don't even get their medical problems paid for. Some are homeless. Yeah, you can blame the players for "knowing what they were getting into." But there aren't that many guys still alive and for the NFL to do nothing, even medically, is disgraceful. If Congressmen can get 100-large in pensions every year for two years of pushing a voting button, these guys also deserve a piece of their pie.

[sandy19731]

You can get hurt playing professional football? ***???