NFL Retired Players Speak Against Their Names Being Attached to Lawsuit

Carl Eller was never a stranger to getting across the line. The Hall of Fame Vikings defensive end is still credited as the franchise’s all-time sack leader with 130.5 over a fifteen-year career.

But Eller may have crossed the line too far with his recent class action lawsuit against the NFL.

Pro Players Insiders has reported several Hall of Fame players have spoken out recently saying that they were neither aware that their names were being attached to the suit, nor even had any idea about the case at all.

“I was surprised that they came out and listed names—my name in particular—without me having given permission to even use it,” said Jack Youngblood, a longtime Rams defensive end, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001. “I had no idea what this lawsuit was all about in the first place. When I saw my name on this letter that I had not requested to be a part of, it was a shock to me.”

Eller may have been lured by the intimidation of any case that featured “Jack Youngblood,” but other players with less awesome names were surprised and angered by their inclusion as well.

“I do not want my name associated with the potential lawsuit against the NFL and NFL Players Association,” said Rams and 49er defensive end and 2008 inductee Fred Dean. “I wasn’t aware of what was being done.”

The root of the miscommunication stems from a petition that Eller distributed to former players in which they were ask to sign and send the following form letter:

"

I am a retired player in the National Football League (“NFL”). I understand that the National Football League Players Association (“NFLPA”) is reconstituting itself as a union and plans to commence collective bargaining negotiations with the NFL that will include matters relating to already retired NFL players. I also understand that recently Jim Brown, Gale Sayers and several other notable Hall of Famers have been outspoken about the NFLPA’s failure to advocate effectively for retired players.

[I hereby advise both the NFL and NFLPA that] I do not consent to the NFLPA bargaining any retiree rights on my behalf. I also do not authorize the NFLPA to act on my behalf with regard to the implementation of any retirement benefits to which I am or may be entitled.

"

You’ll notice that nowhere in there does it say anything about attaching your name to a lawsuit. But through the confusion or lack of communication, many of the players who signed this letter then had their name added to the case.

Many of these Hall of Famers had been under the impression that they did not have representation at the bargaining table so a petition was necessary.

“The problem is, there are so many entities out there that a lot of the guys don’t know who’s who,” Art Shell, the former Hall of Fame Raider’s tackle and often-perplexed head coach, said. “But I tell you what, guys have got to be excited about this (retiree benefits in the new deal).”

The players who had their names attached against their will have now undertaken publicity measures to clear the perception of any intended involvement.