Ditka, Kramer demand improved disability benefits for those with chronic injuries
By Mike Klis
Denver Post Staff Writer
Feb. 2, 2007
Miami - As NFL owners occasionally squabble over how to divvy up $6 billion in revenues, some of the players from yesteryear are fighting to receive disability for bum knees, fuzzy brains, replaced hips and irreparable bodies.
"Our pension stinks," Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure said. "I think Gene Upshaw and Paul Tagliabue are responsible for this."
Whoa there, Joey D.
Upshaw heads the NFL Players Association and Tagliabue is a former NFL commissioner.
The Super Bowl XLI proceedings got contentious here Thursday when former Green Bay Packers lineman Jerry Kramer announced the start of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. Supporting Kramer at his news conference was former Bears tight end and coach Mike Ditka, who made it clear football has enriched his life, but he is stepping up on behalf of his less-fortunate colleagues, including Lions cornerback Lem Barney and DeLamielleure, who played for the Bills and Browns.
"One of the guys who was in here complaining, we just paid his mortgage the past five months," Upshaw said later at the NFLPA news conference.
Ditka was impassioned about helping some of the former players such as Willie Wood, Wilber Marshall, Joe Perry, Doug Atkins, Conrad Dobler and the late Mike Webster. Ditka said a few years ago, he sent a letter to every NFL owner asking for a $100,000 donation to help fund his ex-players' fund.
He said he received two checks - one for $10,000, another for $5,000. He sent the checks back.
"It's embarrassing," said Ditka, his face reddening. "It's not like there isn't enough money to go around. There is enough money to go around. We give disability to every other form in our society and these are guys who really are disabled, and we can't do it in football."
By Mike Klis
Denver Post Staff Writer
Feb. 2, 2007
Miami - As NFL owners occasionally squabble over how to divvy up $6 billion in revenues, some of the players from yesteryear are fighting to receive disability for bum knees, fuzzy brains, replaced hips and irreparable bodies.
"Our pension stinks," Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure said. "I think Gene Upshaw and Paul Tagliabue are responsible for this."
Whoa there, Joey D.
Upshaw heads the NFL Players Association and Tagliabue is a former NFL commissioner.
The Super Bowl XLI proceedings got contentious here Thursday when former Green Bay Packers lineman Jerry Kramer announced the start of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. Supporting Kramer at his news conference was former Bears tight end and coach Mike Ditka, who made it clear football has enriched his life, but he is stepping up on behalf of his less-fortunate colleagues, including Lions cornerback Lem Barney and DeLamielleure, who played for the Bills and Browns.
"One of the guys who was in here complaining, we just paid his mortgage the past five months," Upshaw said later at the NFLPA news conference.
Ditka was impassioned about helping some of the former players such as Willie Wood, Wilber Marshall, Joe Perry, Doug Atkins, Conrad Dobler and the late Mike Webster. Ditka said a few years ago, he sent a letter to every NFL owner asking for a $100,000 donation to help fund his ex-players' fund.
He said he received two checks - one for $10,000, another for $5,000. He sent the checks back.
"It's embarrassing," said Ditka, his face reddening. "It's not like there isn't enough money to go around. There is enough money to go around. We give disability to every other form in our society and these are guys who really are disabled, and we can't do it in football."
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