Derrick Brooks and Other Hall of Famers to Boycott Hall of Fame Induction.

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Pro Football Hall of Famers has put Roger Goodell and the NFL on Notice. As of right now, per the letter these former Football gods have written and signed, they all have no intention of attending this year’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Their demands are simple, give us health insurance and compensate us. These former football players gave their all on the football field and are asking for so little in return.

The letter starts out,

“We, the undersigned Pro Football Hall of Famers, were integral to the creation of the modern NFL, which in 2017 generated $14 billion in revenue, but when the league enshrined us as the greatest ever to play America’s most popular sport, they gave us a gold jacket, a bust and a ring — and that was it.” 

It is easy to see why many Hall of Famers would have an issue with this as they’ve given their all by risking permanent or lifelong injury and in some cases, it ultimately resulted in death. Not every member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame had extravagant contracts or had the chance to live the flamboyant lifestyles many get to enjoy, today.

“People know us from our highlight reels. They see us honored and mythologized before games and at halftime, and it would be reasonable if they thought life was good for us. But on balance, it’s not. As a group we are struggling with severe health and financial problems. To build this game, we sacrificed our bodies. In many cases, and despite the fact that we were led to believe otherwise, we sacrificed our minds. We believe we deserve more. We write to demand two things: Health insurance and annual salary for all Hall of Famers that includes a share of league revenue.”

People assume that the life of an NFL player is one of caviar and champagne wishes, and to some extent, it is, however, not for all and in many cases, not only do they sacrifice their health, but they also sacrifice their minds. CTE was once brushed under the rug in the hopes that no one would find out and in recent year’s has been brought to light. It is a very real disease and has very real outcomes, mostly dementia, Alzheimer’s, and death.

Whether or not the NFL dips into it’s $14 billion dollars a year cash spot and throw them the equivalent of crumbs, is yet to be seen, but you can believe these guys are not messing around and will continue to fight for what is right.

You can read their original letter HERE

UPDATE:  Jerry Rice and Kurt Warner publicly back away from HOF letter. Eric Dickerson seeks $300k salary for all HOF players. See original article HERE

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