That is what their dues are for. If they need more to pay for that, then they should negotiate with the NFL for that.

I think at that point, in good faith the NFL should negotiate so that there are monies available for that. However I believe that it should be the Unions responsibility to make sure that it is done.

However I was speaking more to the choice to play and keep playing football. Here is the best analogy that I can think of. I let you punch me in the head, it hurts and I may or may not have a concussion. However, I really shouldn’t need anyone to tell me that nothing good can come of letting you hit me. Now it is my choice on whether or not I continue to let you do it. In the case of football players, alot of them continue because of many reasons. However they are responsible for any side effects because they kept doing things that got them hurt.

That is like smokers. Cancer kills, pain and suffering is a symptom, however you shouldn’t need someone to tell you that introducing smoke into your body can kill you. I mean people die from smoke inhalation, why would smoking be safe.

We have far to many times where people don’t want to take responsibility for what they did. Sometimes the aftereffects or whatever you want to call them are very harsh, however you still need to pay the piper.

I love football, and I will be honest, if I could play even knowing the risks I would. Does that mean I am right, stupid, or a dreamer? Who knows, what I do know is that there of thousands of people that would trade places with those football players in a heartbeat. I think that they know that and that could be part of why they continue to play.

Now, i’m not knocking the seriousness of concussions and disorders caused from them. But you mean to tell me that after suffering something that makes you lose your memory, and sometimes the severity of losing consciousness, that “grown men” can’t make the right decision from there that I have seen so many 8-12 yr old kids do. Come on man! After a football player regains his sense after suffering a concussion, he knows nothing good can come out of losing your memory and whether or whether not he ever wants the possibility to experience that feeling again. Stop blaming the NFL people, its their decision to play the sport.

The majority of NFL players before the ’80′s were not making the big bucks that the elite made. Most of those dealing with those long term effects had no knowledge that the many collisions that they had had from H.S. into the NFL would produce those effects.

If you had a brain, you would know that the NFL had not studied or warned players as a group until 2000.

Many had voluntarily retired prior to that but those that did made their decisions based on doctor’s advice. NFL could resolve the suit by establishing a fund that would make sure that older players receive treatment for the injuries incurred on the job.

Or would you rather pay for them with your taxes thru workers compensation claims?

If you can’t put 2 + 2 together and figure out taking enough hits to the head wouldn’t cause some type of issues down the road, you surely didn’t get a good education from grammar school through college. Maybe you should file a class action suit against the educators that let you down.

If you let yourselves be “used or misled” then you aren’t that bright.

My prayers are with Mr. Easterling family.

But this idiocy about “oh, they knew the risks, it’s a violent game” or “i knew the risks before i embarked on my storied Pop Warner career and i still played” is just plain dumb.

Yes, these guys did know the risks. that’s why the lawsuits aren’t called the “i’m 40 yrs old and have the knees of a 80 yr old man” lawsuits. Or the “i have eight fingers and two thumbs pointing in ten different directions and some really nasty arthritis” lawsuits. they knew that was a possibility. They’re called the “concussion” lawsuit for a reason. They didn’t know their brains could end up scrambled because, and a court will decide this, there may have been a chance that they were told to go back into a game and they were okay, when they actually weren’t.

In these recent concussion stories, the story of Earl Campbell is often left out. Here’s a guy who dished out as much damage as he took, and after his retirement, he was afraid to leave his house and be out in public due to severe panic disorder. Once a doctor found the right meds, Campbell’s story faded away. Who’s to say that had he been evaluated more thoroughly at the time, Troy Aikman doesn’t play in a Super Bowl he can’t remember?

One player that jumps to mind is Jason White. He retired before he could have put further risk to his body and health. You have plenty of guys that have had few concussions, yet they still continue to play and risk their lives.

No one is making these guys play, they decide to play on their own. There are people that need it more than others, as they are supporting many more people for instance. The only thing I will say is that the NFL is a collision sport, not a contact sport and if you are playing/have played football you know what is at stake.

You sound like this:
“I just got my season tickets! I don’t want to hear about another guy killing himself! Can’t they all just do it in silence!”
Or
“Why don’t they just turn it into flag football!”

NFL guys are too big and too fast to have helmets that offer a fake sense of security.
Kids brains can not handle repetitive hits to the head.

They would be better off playing the game without helmets over what they currently use. Force everyone to teach and use proper technique. You would have a lot more broken noses and missing teeth.
This would sway many away from playing and watching the game. It would also save lives.

Sorry. Have a nice day.

Look at the information that’s out there now. Is anyone quitting the NFL? Nope and no one would’ve quit then. Harry Carson is a good man it appears but if he didn’t play football we wouldn’t be listening to him here. Therefore, he has football to thank.

This will prolly get a bunch of thumbs down.

Actually this is a great statement. It helps shine a light on ANY former football player speaking of concusions or brain injuries.
If the game damages the brain for so many players, and they are unable to handle the effects of the game. How are we to know any former player is in his right mind? Carson is more credible because he is not part of the lawsuit?
Well just because you are not part of the lawsuit does not mean you have not suffered injury. It just means you are not part of the lawsuit or do not realize you have any injury to blame someone else for.
The players are essencially saying, our brains are messed up because of the game. But pay attention to our messed up brains. Doesn’t that make any claim they may make suspect, because its comes from the brain they claim football damaged?
Carson is saying, I’m credible, listen to me. But his brain went through the same stress as every other player of kis era.

Not sure I presented this in a way that does not make it seem I suffrered the damage too.

Hopefully, he also holds football responsible for providing thousands and thousands of men over the years an extremely good livelihood. A good number of these men would be virtually unemployable due to lack of other skill sets. If you read at a grade school level and are earning $5 million a year, consider yourself blessed.

That day came about 10 years ago, and I don’t regret a single snap that I played.

I knew the risk going in, and take responsibility for the pain I live with.

Sorry, but don’t tell me that these players didn’t have ANY idea what they were doing to their bodies. It is a bunch of BS and everyone knows it.

Lets look at jobs that are REAL risks. Soldiers, Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Coal Miners, Ice Fishermen, and the list goes on and on. These are men and women that put their actual LIVES on the line, every day. No 6 months off of vacation, no league minimum salaries, and no whining that when they are no longer able to continue doing those jobs about how unfair it was that they didn’t make enough money.

The reality is, most of these men got FREE college educations (IF they were smart enough to stay in school and get a degree), they were the studs in High School and College and were treated like royalty. They got to play a game that MILLIONS of people play for free in parking lots, streets and fields across this country every day.

Yes, there is a danger in their jobs, but it could be a LOT worse.

Get over yourselves guys. You knew, even though you don’t want to now admit it, the risks that were involved.

You didn’t handle your money good enough, now you are broke, and forced into the reality most of us face on a daily basis. Get up, go to work, earn your keep. At least you have that free education to fall back on. That is a LOT more than most of us got.