Sisto Averno has suffered a stroke, had his knee and a hip replaced, and requires the use of a walker to get around. But inside the body of the 81-year-old Pikesville resident beats the heart ofan ironman football star that played offensive guard, linebacker and special teams during an NFL career that spanned from 1950 to ?54, including time with the Baltimore Colts.
Averno never regrets playing with such reckless abandon during his career. But he is quite aware that his approach played a large role in the bevy of health issues he deals with today.
All of those medical expenses take their toll on the limited income that he and his wife, Margaret, have for bills. Averno said he gets by, but a little extra assistance from the league that eventually made billions, in part, from the work players like him put in during its formative years would help make his life a little easier.
“The owners and players make so much money today,” Averno said. “I don?t know why they don?t want to do more to help the guys that started this league.”
While the NFL Players Association has taken steps in recent years to improve benefits for retirees, a number of local retired players believe more can be done. Former Baltimore Colts Bruce Laird and Tom Matte have taken up the cause and have been some of the most outspoken critics of NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw for what they feel is a stiff-arm to those who need help the most.
“First of all, we are very grateful for everything given to us by the NFLPA, especially since 1993,” Laird said. “But while there are thousands of retirees that have done well for themselves, there are others that need our help and deserve to have some dignity back in their lives.”
NFLPA director of communications Carl Francis said a combative approach to dealing with retiree issues from players like Laird is counterproductive and will only hurt those needy players in the long-term.
“If there is a lack of communication and public voices of displeasure with the main office, that causes a lack of building support for players across the country and does nothing tosolve the problem,” Francis said.
Laird, who is also president of the Baltimore Colts alumni group, said he recently received a memo from the NFLPA that threatened to remove an alumni chapter president and/or dissolve the chapter entirely for conduct deemed detrimental to the players association?s best interests. Laird thinks this was a response to the growing number of outspoken retirees like himself who want to see more action taken by the union on this issue.
“The player?s association is concerned about retirees speaking out on their own behalf,” Laird said.
While Ravens kicker and team player representative Matt Stover recently met with Laird to improve relations between the two parties, Matte said there is still a lot of progress that needs to take place.
“Matt Stover is a great friend who wants to help us move in a positive direction on this issue,” Matte said. “But I still don?t understand why we can?t get a meeting directly with the commissioner or with Gene Upshaw. We know we have to take care of ourselves because of the attitude we?ve seen from Gene Upshaw.”
NFL improved benefits
Last July, the NFL and the NFLPA agreed to a series of improvements to benefits for current and retired players. They include:
» Pensions: Increasing the pensions of retired players by 25 percent for amounts earned before 1982 and a 10 percent increase for amounts earned afterward. That will mean at least a $50/month increase.
» No. 88 plan: This benefit, named in honor of Colts Hall of Famer John Mackey, provides up to $88,000 per year for institutional care or up to $50,000 annually for in-home nursing care for treatment pertaining to dementia, including Alzheimer?s.
