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aftermath of their injuries are monumental legacies of this quintessentially violent game. Most retired players are scarred by major surgery, some from dozens of trips to the operating room. ManyâHall of Fame running back Earl Campbell, for exampleâcan barely walk. Hundreds have had joint replacement surgery. Someâquarterbacking legend John Unitas comes to mindâlost use of their hands and fingers. And a fewâKurt Marsh and Jim Otto, in particularâhave lost limbs to football injuries. In response to mounting health concerns, the NFL has instituted drastic rule changes and injury treatment protocols. In addition, in September 2012, the NFL announced a $30 million grant to the National Institutes of Health to study brain injuries and other sports-related health issues, and in 2013 the league and NFLPA announced a huge financial payout to players suffering the aftermath of head injuries. 8
If the ravages of injury arenât enough, former players by the dozen face financial disaster. Despite their lucrative contracts, ex-players are showing up flat broke shortly after retirement. Terrell Owens is nearly penniless despite earning top dollar for years. He reportedly owes the IRS $438,000 in unpaid taxes. Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackleâand one-time multimillionaireâWarren Sapp has filed for bankruptcy. Court documents show he owes more than $6.7 million to creditors and in unpaid child support. 9 The NFLPA says that between 1999 and 2002, atleast 78 players and former players were swindled out of more than $42 million.
Sports Illustrated
claims that over three quarters of former NFL players are in desperate financial straits within two years of retirement. 10
Still looking for trouble? Late in 2013, Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested and placed under investigation for double homicide. Ryan Leaf, the second player taken in the 1998 draft (after Peyton Manning) and retired since 2002, was arrested in March 2012 on burglary, theft, and drug charges. Four days later he was rearrested for similar offenses. Leaf pled guilty to burglary and drug charges and has been sentenced to five years in a Montana state prison. In late April 2012, Texas authorities issued two additional warrants for his arrest. Leaf is just one of several recent additions to the list of convicted felons among NFL alumni. Some examples:
Billy Cannon: counterfeiting
Thomas âHollywoodâ Henderson: sexual assault
Dave Meggett: sexual misconduct and burglary
Eugene âMercuryâ Morris and Nate Newton: drug trafficking
Lawrence Phillips: multiple assault convictions
Art Schlichter: forgery and over 20 gambling-related felonies
Lawrence Taylor: tax evasion, sexual misconduct, and patronizing a prostitute
While no one can forget O.J. Simpson, his actual convictions pale in comparison to some of his fellow alumsâ. Former Patriot and Colt Erik Naposki was convicted of homicide and received a life sentence without parole, but the standard may have been set by Keith Wright, a defensive lineman who lurked at the fringes of the NFL from 2003 to 2006. In 2012, Wright was found guilty on 19 charges including armed robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and false imprisonment, for which he was sentenced to a combined 234 years in prison. 11
The litany of horror stories goes on and on. But are they the entire story of life after the NFL? Are there other stories to tell, other chapters being written? Former players have coached Super Bowl winners andcollege national champions. NFL front offices are full of NFL vets. Fans love media personalities who graduated from the NFL: Michael Strahan, Troy Aikman, Howie Long, Terry Bradshaw, Boomer Esiason, and Herman Edwards, just to name a few. The list of NFL alums among successful local broadcasters is burgeoning as talk show radio and TV employ ex-jocks to talk sports 24/7, nonstop. While theyâve certainly capitalized on their football fame, thereâs also a
If the ravages of injury arenât enough, former players by the dozen face financial disaster. Despite their lucrative contracts, ex-players are showing up flat broke shortly after retirement. Terrell Owens is nearly penniless despite earning top dollar for years. He reportedly owes the IRS $438,000 in unpaid taxes. Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackleâand one-time multimillionaireâWarren Sapp has filed for bankruptcy. Court documents show he owes more than $6.7 million to creditors and in unpaid child support. 9 The NFLPA says that between 1999 and 2002, atleast 78 players and former players were swindled out of more than $42 million.
Sports Illustrated
claims that over three quarters of former NFL players are in desperate financial straits within two years of retirement. 10
Still looking for trouble? Late in 2013, Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested and placed under investigation for double homicide. Ryan Leaf, the second player taken in the 1998 draft (after Peyton Manning) and retired since 2002, was arrested in March 2012 on burglary, theft, and drug charges. Four days later he was rearrested for similar offenses. Leaf pled guilty to burglary and drug charges and has been sentenced to five years in a Montana state prison. In late April 2012, Texas authorities issued two additional warrants for his arrest. Leaf is just one of several recent additions to the list of convicted felons among NFL alumni. Some examples:
Billy Cannon: counterfeiting
Thomas âHollywoodâ Henderson: sexual assault
Dave Meggett: sexual misconduct and burglary
Eugene âMercuryâ Morris and Nate Newton: drug trafficking
Lawrence Phillips: multiple assault convictions
Art Schlichter: forgery and over 20 gambling-related felonies
Lawrence Taylor: tax evasion, sexual misconduct, and patronizing a prostitute
While no one can forget O.J. Simpson, his actual convictions pale in comparison to some of his fellow alumsâ. Former Patriot and Colt Erik Naposki was convicted of homicide and received a life sentence without parole, but the standard may have been set by Keith Wright, a defensive lineman who lurked at the fringes of the NFL from 2003 to 2006. In 2012, Wright was found guilty on 19 charges including armed robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and false imprisonment, for which he was sentenced to a combined 234 years in prison. 11
The litany of horror stories goes on and on. But are they the entire story of life after the NFL? Are there other stories to tell, other chapters being written? Former players have coached Super Bowl winners andcollege national champions. NFL front offices are full of NFL vets. Fans love media personalities who graduated from the NFL: Michael Strahan, Troy Aikman, Howie Long, Terry Bradshaw, Boomer Esiason, and Herman Edwards, just to name a few. The list of NFL alums among successful local broadcasters is burgeoning as talk show radio and TV employ ex-jocks to talk sports 24/7, nonstop. While theyâve certainly capitalized on their football fame, thereâs also a
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