Health Benefits a Top Priority for NFL Players

Health Benefits a Top Priority for NFL Players

For most workers in America, health care is a high priority and consideration when it comes to employment. Not surprisingly, given the physical nature of their jobs, players in the National Football League have put this issue among their top concerns in negotiation of their union’s upcoming contract.

At issue for owners and the league is the desire to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18, and also reduce the pre-season from 4 games to 2. The players association sites the increased risk of injury from the expanded schedule, reminding officials that most starters who would play in the extra two games at the end of the season, typically do not play, and therefore do not get injured, in the two pre-season games being removed.

The health care at issue is not just for players currently on the roster, but also for those who have ended their careers. Currently, the players are covered by the leagues health care system for five years after they leave. Unfortunately, many of the long term medical issues resulting from a career of injuries do not surface until after this term. Joint replacement surgery and chronic pain has long been a known health issue for former players in their later years. New medical research, especially in the area of brain damage as a result of concussions, now points to an additional need for better long term care.