Is this an Onion piece?
Did the NFL and players of that time fund a pension plan? Is the pension plan paying promised benefits? Was it set up as a pension or as a 401k type plan?
There are unanswered questions.
They say he was fast, but he doesn’t seem too quick.
I like Jim Brown a lot. And he’s correct that forgotten players don’t receive much from the NFL. But he will get zero help from the player’s union since they ONLY care about current players. The owners could easily solve this issue but there’s no reason for them to do so.
Yo, your “man” Cupcake Kaepernick wasn’t campaigining for pensions.
Well that is rather low... Lots of considerations here. The average NFL career is less than four years. The Tom Bradys and Drew Brees' with careers approaching 20 years and multimillion dollar annual salaries are the exceptions. The guys on special teams, the third stringers, in short the ones you never hear of, are not making anything near that kind of money and are risking life and limb just as much as anyone else. And way back in 1993, salaries were even less for non-superstars. So yes, maybe the league should do something... since it has grown into a multibillion dollar industry.
What is even worse is the lack of league health insurance for NFL retirees. The most one gets is 5 years post-retirement.
So, somebody forces all these guys to sign those contracts?
Right now I think the rate is about $6,000 per month for every year they play. A player in the league for 5 years gets $30,000 per month in other words. The older players have always gotten screwed.
Why don’t they fund their on pension. They are making millions per year.
Watch out, Jimmy. You’re approaching “useless eaters” age. (You think your concern is bad?) I hope you’re not a “bitter clinger” too. Hey doc...what’s his social credit score? Yank that plug, puppet.
Great football players receive large, multi-million dollar contracts, right from the start. Many of them will also have a chance to receive money from advertisers and other promoters. If they're not investing that money (competently, if not smartly) to prepare for a time when they can no longer play, that's their problem.
Moderately good football players also receive million-dollar contracts, though not as much as the great ones. Invested wisely, those salaries will provide a comfortable living; name recognition can also help launch a lucrative second career.
Players who were drafted lower, or who have to spend time on practice squads or as backups to starters--they're still getting contracts that are worth hundreds of thousands per year. Hopefully, they're not being foolish with that money, realizing that their time in pro sports may be limited. They'll most certainly need a second career, but they have a chance to be very comfortable if they invest wisely.
What Mr. Brown should do is ask the owners to fund financial education for their young, and even older players. Teach them how to be athletic superstars, but also, financially-savvy ones as well. Then, they won't have to worry about a paltry $2500/month pension.
Two problems.
Inflation is a hidden tax that benefits the government.
Many older fans were attracted to the league due to watching games played by older players. I would say there is a mismatch between reward and work. A better system would pay each individual player a percentage of revenue over a longer period of time with much less upfront. Players who currently receive large contracts but kill the sport would be paid less under such an approach.
shouldn’t they have invested their money more wisely...
that is why they are paid so much right?
Poor babies. Made it to the pinnacle of their sport, were extremely well-compensated for the duration, but “only” get an average of $2,500.00 a month pension.
Well, try the real world in most of the private sector with NO pension whatsoever.
My give-a-damn’s busted as far as NFL whining.
I agree with JB. The League and Union are awash in megabucks but it wasn’t always so. The guys who sacrificed so much for the game ought to be taken care of better than this.
$2500/month for life for seven years on the job (prior to 1993 - 25 years ago) is not too bad. Can’t live fat on it, but its better than a sharp stick in the eye.
Take a knee, Jim.
$2,500 per month? That's more pension than most NFL fans get--combined.
$00.00 X millions = 0
Perhaps this has something to do with the wage inflation since the old days? If that’s the case then nobody is at fault for the relatively lower payouts.