Tom Matte believes his voice finally is being heard.
The former Baltimore Colts running back said the National Football League is starting to realize it needs to do more help retired players pay for medical costs stemming from injuries they suffered during their professional careers. Matte’s response comes a day after the NFL owners unanimously approved adding $10 to a fund for retired players to help pay for joint replacement surgeries and other medical assistance.
The additional funds, which was voted on at a league meeting in Philadelphia, came after an alliance consisting of the NFL, the NFL Players Association, the Hall of Fame and the NFL Alumni Association established an initial $7 million fund in July.
“This is welcoming news,” said Matte, who is one of the leading advocates for retired players. “This is just the next step in our effort to help those players who need it the most.”
Wednesday’s announcement is the latest chapter in the struggle between the league, the NFLPA and retired players concerning pensions and other benefits for those who mostly played the game before the NFL developed into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today.
“We’re continuing to work on the other needs of retired players,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the two-day owners? meetings.
In the past year, retired players have won several battles with the league to increase benefits for former players, including increased pensions and the formation of the “88 Plan” which provides benefits for retired players dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia. The plan is named in honor of Hall of Fame Colts tight end John Mackey, who suffers from frontotemporal dementia.
Matte said the most recent improvements have occurred since Goodell took the lead on the issue instead of NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw. Matte believes Upshaw ignored the concerns of retired players, and only moved forward after continuing media coverage and involvement from Congress.
The House and Senate have held hearings in recent months on the subject, and the House Judiciary Committee recently asked for documents from the league and the union regarding benefits and disability policies to determine if legislative action is required.
“It’s exciting to see all of the possibilities out there for improvements,” Matte said. “But, that doesn’t mean we stop what we’re doing. We are going to continue to push for a voice and representation with the league. I think the owners have become embarrassed over the lack of action in the past and want to see change happen soon.”
The AP contributed to this article.
