‘They use you up’: Hall of Famer Dorsett suing NFL

[R-14Driver]

The helmet-to-helmet shot knocked Tony Dorsett out cold in the second quarter of a 1984 Cowboys-Eagles game, the hardest hit he ever took during his Hall of Fame NFL career.

“It was like a freight train hitting a Volkswagen,” Dorsett says now.

“Did they know it was a concussion?” he asks rhetorically during an interview with The Associated Press. “They thought I was half-dead.”

And yet, he says, after being examined in the locker room—a light shined in his eyes; queries such as who sat next to him on the Cowboys’ bus ride to the stadium—Dorsett returned to the field and gained 99 yards in the second half. Mainly, he says, by running plays the wrong way, because he couldn’t remember what he was supposed to do..................

'They use you up': Hall of Famer Dorsett suing NFL - NFL - Yahoo! Sports



.................................... Did no one tell him football was rough ?

 

[nightowl]

these guys pick this profession and make millions, now that they've run out of money they've came up with a new way to get more out of the nfl.

 

[Stan Smith]

I'm thinking more about the guys that never make the big money and are the guys who are practice team type guys. Overall, its football and I don't want to see the game change into flag football.

 

[Starkravinloon]

Dorsett lost millions through his agent investing in junk stock...If he would have been smart enough he could have caught it..I feel for the guy,but I don't feel sorry for him..He should have been more educated to the facts..That's what you get when you trust people too much..

 

[a9faninnc]

Its almost like the NFL is gonna be demonized either way,if former players are gonna file lawsuits when the league mandates new safety policies.

 

[Northern Flash]

I have to start by saying that I worshiped Tony Dorsett when I was young. Even to the point that I was a running back, and picked his number 33 throughout my whole career.

But, I also must add that I understood the risks of playing football and the potential injuries. Yes, I staggered off the field several times after hard hits, only to put myself back in for the next play. I also ended up in an ambulance once. I loved the game, I loved the challenge, and hold no one else responsible for my current aches and pains.

I also understand the complaints of the former NFL players and for their current health issues, but they made the choice to play football. However, since there wasn't much for insurance for the retirees, they should have invested into their own policies for their future, but most failed to do so. With the money that the league generates currently and in the past, the players should have had more foresight to protect themselves into their future, but again, they failed to do so. So even though they have a legitimate complaint about "being abandoned" by the league, there just wasn't anything in place at the time to protect them. I'm very glad to see that the league has better safety standards now. But, the current players need to use their former role models as examples.....and put some money toward their future insurance needs.

Even though I disagree with any lawsuits from the former players because there hasn't been good policies in place.....Tony D will always have a special place in my heart.

 

[Crystal]

I also understand the complaints of the former NFL players and for their current health issues, but they made the choice to play football. However, since there wasn't much for insurance for the retirees, they should have invested into their own policies for their future, but most failed to do so. With the money that the league generates currently and in the past, the players should have had more foresight to protect themselves into their future, but again, they failed to do so. So even though they have a legitimate complaint about "being abandoned" by the league, there just wasn't anything in place at the time to protect them. I'm very glad to see that the league has better safety standards now. But, the current players need to use their former role models as examples.....and put some money toward their future insurance needs.

Probably one of the reasons why todays multi million dollar NFL players still feel the need to join a union

National Football League Players Association - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the labor organization for the professional football players in the National Football League (NFL). The responsibility of the organization is to represent all players in matters concerning wages, hours, and working conditions, to protect players' rights as professional athletes, and to ensure the terms of a collective bargaining agreement are met. Additionally, the organization negotiates and monitors retirement and insurance benefits, provides assistance to charitable and community organizations, and enhances and defends the image of players and their profession on and off the field. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NFLPA is led by its president Kevin Mawae and executive director DeMaurice Smith.