I don’t think this affects pensions much at all. In fact, the NFL is notorious for having a poor pension system compared to other major sports. Only active players vote on the collective bargaining agreements, and they have repeatedly demonstrated over the years that they’re willing to bargain away pension benefits for retirees in exchange for cash up front. Those mutants you see kneeling on the sidelines are dumb as rocks — which means they’re as short-sighted as rocks, too.
To your point, you would not believe how many current players are living paycheck to paycheck.
Perhaps, also, to my point.