Former NFL running back Eric Dickerson believes that, in addition to the Gold Jacket, the bronze bust, and the fancy ring, Hall of Famers should get some cold, hard cash.
Dickerson wants $300,000 per Hall of Famer per year. In response to a PFT story regarding his position, Dickerson did some math.
"$300,000 per player = less than 70 cents out of every $100 in [NFL] revenue. 70 cents! 2 quarters 2 dimes out of every $100 bill,” Dickerson said early in a Wednesday morning storm of tweets and retweets regarding the issue.
Dickerson also made it clear that, despite the request for annual payment for those who make it to the Hall of Fame (which definitely raises the stakes for the enshrinement process), the recently-formed Hall of Fame board has broader goals.
“Our board represents all retired players,” Dickerson said via Twitter. “We want health insurance and a better pension for all players.”
The problem is that former players have no leverage; they have to hope that current players will see themselves as future former players and cut a better deal for all former players during the next CBA negotiation. And today’s former players have only themselves to blame for not cutting a better deal for former players when they were cutting deals.
That doesn’t means the NFL and current players have no moral obligation to help former players. But there’s no legal obligation to do so, and the only leverage is the threat that some of the Hall of Famers won’t serve as a 3D backdrop for the annual Hall of Fame dog-and-pony show.
If the cost per prop is $300,000 per year, the NFL will simply come up with something else.