Former NFL Players and Their Health Benefits

Retired and former National Football Players should receive more health benefits than what they are currently getting. With a majority of studies on previous players showing signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, benefits should be enhanced to secure their long-term health. Yes, a lot of these former athletes such as Randy Moss or Shannon Sharpe have gone on to work for big-time sports corporations like ESPN and Fox Sports, finding a way to support themselves financially. However, although they, along with many other former athletes, have gone this route, many of the less prominent players don’t necessarily have the same opportunities, especially from a mental aspect. As mentioned in my previous blog titled “How CTE is Affecting The Lives of Many Current and Former Football Players,” CTE  “was found in 99 percent of deceased NFL players’ brains that were donated to scientific research,” in an article written by Daniella Emanuel from CNN. I also said that in another study conducted by JAMA, “Out of 202 deceased former football players total — a combination of high school, college and professional players — CTE was neuropathologically diagnosed in 177, the study said. The disease was identified in 110 out of 111 former NFL players. It was also found in three of the 14 high school players and 48 of the 53 college players.” The evidence further demonstrates the risks these athletes take when playing football, as most of them probably develop CTE or some form of brain trauma along the way. Thus, they should be compensated by the N.F.L. To play devil’s advocate, the league has made efforts in taking care of its former NFL players, the ones making them a lot of money, in its history. N.F.L. players have received pension support from the Bert Bell Plan, named after a former league commissioner, since it was founded in 1959. In an article written by The New York Times, “the 1993 collective bargaining agreement, a 401(k) plan to which players also could contribute was established, and in 1998 an annuity program followed.” The N.F.L.P.A.’s senior director of benefits Miki Yaras-Davis has also acknowledged an increased pension support with every collective bargaining agreement in the sport’s history. He says that “during the 2011 labor dispute and lockout, one of the main issues was establishing a fund for pre-1993 players. In that collective bargaining agreement, a “legacy fund” was established, with a $620 million increase in benefits, with team owners contributing out of their share of revenues for the first time. The union has increased pensions twice for former players since 2011.” Even with these efforts, an increase in support must come about. With several Hall of Famers such as Eric Dickerson, Kurt Warner and others in agreeance (see my previous blog), the time has come for the Nation Football League to properly secure the safety of those who helped make it into the most popular sport in America.