Jim Brown: Football Has Forgotten the Men Who Made It Great

[bevosu]

While the league makes billions, many retired players are living on shockingly low pensions.

Most N..L. players who retired before 1993 receive a pension of about $365 a month per season they played, meaning that the typical seven-year player gets about $2,500 a month. Thousands get considerably less, and have stories you won’t see on network broadcasts.

One star of those New York Jets’ Super Bowl team videos now lives in a trailer; unable to afford a dentist, he barely has any teeth. A standout lineman from the storied 1970s Minnesota Vikings played 17 years and gets just $2,300 a month (he took some of his pension early). That’s not enough to cover his football-related medical bills, leaving him and his wife living check to check. There are countless more like them.

Opinion | Jim Brown: Football Has Forgotten the Men Who Made It Great

 

[atom58]

I think my stepfather received as much per month as the average 7 year player - after working for 38 years as a riveter and doing related work for a railroad company. He lived in a smaller town in Georgia where expenses were not too great. Most would not, but moving to such a place is a good idea if you are on a fixed income. I guess everything is relative. Also, don't the ex-NFL players recieve a COLA?

 

[sufandu]

I've seen this discussed before. This is in the hands of the PA and the current players. They could negotiate better pensions for retirees and themselves, but it would likely mean giving up something in the short term. Unlike your average blue collar union worker, professional athletes are mostly young and short sighted, so this will likely be an ongoing problem.