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In a letter sent Tuesday to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the Executive Director of the NFL Players Association, and the President of the Professional Football Hall of Fame, C. David Baker, many members of the NFL Ceremonial Professional Football Hall of Fame until the Hall of Fame receives health insurance and an annual salary including a share of the league's revenue.
But some members of the Hall of Fame who signed the letter, including Jerry Rice and Kurt Warner, said Tuesday they support the idea of improving the benefits for all players, but they never said they would boycott the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Rice, in fact, said he was not even a member of the new Hall of Fame Council, chaired by Eric Dickerson.
– jerryrice (@JerryRice) September 18, 2018
The letter, obtained by ESPN, was sent by Dickerson and signed by Rice, Warner, Marcus Allen, Mel Blount, Derrick Brooks, Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, Richard Dent, Marshall Faulk, Mike Haynes. , Rickey Jackson, Ronnie Lott, Curtis Martin, John Namath, John Randle, Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Jackie Smith, Lawrence Taylor and Sarah White, the widow of Reggie White.
"We, the signatories of the Professional Football Hall of Fame, played a vital role in the creation of the modern NFL, which generated $ 14 billion in revenue in 2017," the letter said. "But when the league came to us as the greatest player to play the most popular sport in America, they offered us a gold jacket, a bust and a ring – and that was it.
"To build this game, we have sacrificed our body, and in many cases, despite the fact that we have been led to believe otherwise, we have sacrificed our spirit.We think we deserve more.We write to ask for two things: Insurance sickness and annual salary for all members of the Hall of Famers who include a portion of the league's income. "
Hall of Famers in a letter to the NFL, NFLPA and the Professional Football Hall of Fame
"People know us through our rolls of nails, they see us honored and mythified before the games and at half-time, and it would be reasonable for them to think that life was good for us. Together, this is not the case.health and financial problems To build this game, we sacrificed our body, in many cases, and despite the fact that we were led to believe otherwise, we sacrificed our spirit, we believe that we deserve more insurance and annual salary for all members of the Hall of Famers, including a share of the league's income. "
Warner stated that he had never been informed of the letter and that "my name was attached to it by mistake". However, like Rice, Warner said he supports efforts to achieve better lifetime benefits for "past, present and future NFL players".
Said Warner: "I think we can make a big argument for the NFL for their support of these efforts, however, I do not think the boycott is the way to the end in this case."
My comments on the FHO benefit letter are being released today: pic.twitter.com/JKU2X5lCIs
– Kurt Warner (@ kurt13warner) September 18, 2018
Dickerson's letter states that the total cost of health insurance for each Hall of Fame member is less than $ 4 million, less than the 30-second Super Bowl, or about 3 cents for every 100 dollars of revenue generated by the league. .
"The time has come for us to be part of a game we have given so much," says the letter. "As long as our demands are not met, the Hall of Fame will not be participating in the annual induction ceremony in Guangzhou, and it is well known that the NFL is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020 and we are proud of our role. Do not Forget 100 Years of Player Exploration to Celebrate As this memorable date approaches, we invite the NFL to honor its past by helping retired players instead of exploiting their images for marketing purposes.
The letter also calls into question Goodell's $ 40 million annual salary and the construction of a $ 1 billion Hall of Fame Hall Village in Canton, Ohio.
"Meanwhile, many Hall of Fame players can not walk and many can not sleep at night," the letter says. "More than some of us do not even know who we are or where we are, our long careers have made us particularly vulnerable to the dangers of this violent sport, especially those that have been intentionally hidden from us. has better jobs for this money. "
While the proposal currently concerns Hall of Fame players, Dickerson said the goal was to get health insurance for all former NFL players.
"I want health care for every player, that's my main goal," Dickerson told ESPN. "All my offensive linemen who have blocked for me, the tight ends, the receivers and everyone I play with, do not you think I want them to have health care? I want these guys have health care what we get, i want them to have a very good pension.
"These guys played as hard as I did to go to the Hall of Fame, I want them to get health care, but we have to start here first. to be able to reach 10. You have to Start with the Hall of Famers because we are trying to get power first, we do not have a voice at the table and we try to get there first with the attention from the Hall of Famers, the celebrities who speak, hopefully, will draw the attention of the masses. "
Dickerson also believes that retired players have historically been underutilized as mentors and that there has been a deliberate attempt to divide active and retired players, citing the example that no retired player is on the NFLPA board. .
"There was always a division where I played," Dickerson told ESPN. "[Former NFL Players Association executive director] Gene Upshaw said, "I represent the current players. I do not represent the retired player. You can not hire me and you can not fire me. And DeMaurice Smith has the same mentality. It is there that we are hurt. We do not have a voice
"The current players do not even know the retired players.One day they will be as old, and their health care plan for five years after your retirement, how about 20 or 25 years old? is when you need health, it's the most important part for me. "
Dickerson said he hoped the league and Hall of Fame players would reach an agreement and that all NFL players could benefit.
"The players are doing the NFL, it's not these jerseys, it's the players," Dickerson told ESPN. "I just want everything to be right, we're not trying to beat the league, playing in the NFL was an honor, but treat us fairly, treat us like people think we're treated, people think that we have this great pension We do not have any health care after five years, it's not good, but it's for all the players, it's my big goal, but we have to start somewhere first, to get him off the ground. "
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