Former NFL Players Deserve Better

My dad, Tom Amason played in the NFL for a couple of years for the Los Angeles Rams in the 50’s and was seriously injured. After his injury, he was let go by the team because he was unable to play. They misdiagnosed a fractured vertebrae in his neck for polio and he never received proper treatment from the NFL or any other physician. After being told he would never walk again, my dad rose up against the odds and walked on crutches from 1955 to 1987. In 1987 a rather unfortunate accident occurred and my dad has not walked since. He has had 54 surgeries in his life, all of which occurred while or after playing in the NFL. He was not able to obtain health or life insurance while playing and believe it or not, he had to have an offseason job to pay the bills because back then, there were no large contracts like there are today. No money, no insurance, no pension, just a love for the game that was and still is unquestioned by these men.

It is my belief that many of the former players are more than entitled to receiving payments from the NFL to help with their medical expenses. These players, many of whom never played under a collective bargaining agreement, need the help from the NFL. There are many players who my dad played with and against like Crazy Legs Hersch, Night Train Lane, John Henry Johnson and many others who had great careers and were able to play long enough without injury to get a pension and other medical rights. But what about the ones who seriously built the league you and I enjoy so much today?

Without men like Tom Amason and many others who we will never know, this league would not be where it is today. Before TV and huge contracts, please remember that there were a group of men who built this league playing for the love of the game, not the money. These men played with broken bones, concussions, bulging discs and yes, even toe injuries. Without them sacrificing their bodies and their lives, we would not have the show and the multimillion dollar contracts we have today. These men of the past are not jealous of the money or the athletes of today, they are just damn proud of the league they helped build.

Please don’t think just because these men are asking for some compensation now for their years and years of struggles they are jealous or just want a piece of the new NFL pie. They do believe, as I do as a son of one of the pioneers, they should at least be offered something from the league. Not all of the men need it or would take it but the gesture would certainly be nice.

So, every Sunday when you watch your favorite NFL team, remember, these men playing today have insurance, tons of money, pensions, and most importantly a league that will take care of them forever if they are hurt. Don’t you think the pioneer men, most of whom are now ghosts, should at least get something in return?

Written in admiration for the former NFL Players.