From the
Three who have struggled
July 2, 2006
Among the NFL retired players most in need are those who played during the pre-1959 era. The median public pension average for 70- to 79-year-olds, from that era, is $16,200 a year. Here are three examples of players who struggle to make ends meet on their NFL pensions.
SISTO
• Personal // 81 years old, living in Baltimore with his wife, Margaret, and daughter, Dina.
• Career // Played guard on offense and linebacker on defense in a five-year career (1950-1954) with the Baltimore Colts, New York Yankees and Dallas Texans.
• Pension // $1,000 a month.
• Issues // Has endured four-way heart bypass surgery, knee and hip replacements, a stroke and separate surgeries to clear out both carotid arteries in his neck.
• Quote // "My father is not one to complain about anything," said Dina Averno. "He's from the old school. He played with dislocated shoulders. If he could walk, he'd still be working now."
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON
• Personal // 76, living in
• Career // Played one year in the CFL, 12 in the NFL and finished with the Houston Oilers in the AFL in 1966. Rushed for 1,000 yards twice with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.
• Pension // Approximately $1,600 a month.
• Issues // Has early-onset dementia and serious short-term memory problems. Also has a pacemaker and takes a dozen medications.
• Quote // "My dad's a great warrior," said Moppin, a nurse. "He needs to be taken care of, and I feel bad he's not taken better care of. I'm not making a lot of money. I know at some point, I will have to make a decision for a higher level of care."
JOE PERRY
• Personal // 79, living in
• Career // Played 14 years with the
• Pension // $1,489 per month from pre-1959 years and $167 for his last four years as a vested player.
• Issues // Has pugilistic dementia and suffers from short-term memory loss.
• Quote // "People expect Joe, because he's in the Hall of Fame, to come and appear at [different functions] because he's got money," Donna said. "There's no money. We're on a fixed income, so we have to budget everything."
[Ken Murray]
Copyright © 2006, The
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