Gridoron Greats Has Done More for Ex-NFL Players than the NFLPA

NFL or college football fans know football is a violent game, a perfect example of this happened not in the NFL, less than a week ago! Jahvid Best reminds us just how dangerous playing football is. Here's a clip of what happened to Best .

There's nothing like watching on TV, and seeing a crowd in such jubilation after watching a great touchdown run by Best, and then the sudden realization that Best hasn't gotten up, or moved. I can't even imagine what it would have been like watching the play happen while in the stands, because after that the crowd went silent.

All thoughts were on that of Best. Oregon State, the team California was playing at the time, went down to their knees, and as a group said a prayer for Best.

Even with that, Best remained on the ground for 13 minutes before being carted off the field and taken to the hospital. Thankfully, Best didn't break any bones and only suffered a concussion. He is currently resting at home, ruled out for the next game, and possibly the season.

Just recently on Sunday, Tennessee Titans receiver Justin Gage suffered some fractures to his back. None of the fractures were too serious, meaning that he wasn't paralyzed, or needing emergency surgery. Just recently, though, he was declared that he may miss the Titans game on Sunday.

Regardless of what sport, there's no player that's going to be 100 percent healthy, we get that these players will play injured. Yet, in the NFL more than any other major sport in the United States, has the most serious injuries.

In the NFL you will find players with concussions, torn muscles, broken bones, sprains, and it could include multiple injuries as well. 

I wrote an article on Bleacher Report titled The NFL Where Neglecting Ex-Players Happens , which is essentially about a number of NFL players who have suffered long lasting injuries and side effects all in part to the violence of playing a game they gave their heart and soul for.

It explains further just how badly the NFL Players Association has treated these players. Including the denial of disability claims by certain players, and the actual percentage of disability payments made, which is just three percent.

That means 97 percent of the NFL players that look to get disability because they are not able to work thanks to the injuries suffered while playing, do not get any disability. These players must wait until they are 55 years of age to even get their pension.

Further research shows that NFL players lifespan goes till 55 years, so it's perfect. By the time they can get their pension they are approaching the actual life span of a NFL player.

When I was reading an article, I came across a foundation that was formed to help these players in need. This group is called the Gridiron Greats, and its purpose is to help, financially, these ex-players, because the NFLPA isn't doing anything to help these players.

As the example of Brian DeMarco in the article that I wrote when he was helped by the foundation, he and his wife had only 75 cents to their name, and absolutely no food in the house.

The foundation has a website, Gridiron Greats, where you can learn more about the foundation.

Here's a quote from the website itself, "The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund provides hands-on assistance and financial aid to help retired NFL players deal with some of the hardships they may encounter after football.  Many of these players lack funds, disability coverage or pension benefits. Thus the GGAF focuses on the humanitarian side of these players, treating them with dignity, and addressing the post-football related issues in their lives."

I think the quote itself is a shot at the NFL and its lack of any kind of assistance to its former players for the most part.

Also, on the site you will find its mission statement which states "The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund’s mission is to assist retired NFL players, who are in dire health and financial distress by providing a means to regain a semblance of dignity and quality of life that every human being deserves. The Fund will support grant applicants through a series of conventional and non conventional fund raising efforts while calling attention to those in need through partnership programs, licensing efforts and public relations events with the set goal of expanding the Funds assets through partnerships with the National Football League and the National Football League Players Association and Alumni”. 

Although, I think it's the stories section on the website that gets me the most, and what this organization does for these individuals.

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