The way in which the NFL deals with its retired players has been a topic of discussion over the last few years. Many players have complained about mental and physical injuries that plague them every day of their lives. They wonder if the league is doing anything to alleviate their situation. Retired Green Bay Packer Gary Knafelc said the league is hoping some of the former players simply die, according to ESPN.com.
In an interview with NBC26-TV last week, the former Packers tight end said the NFL is waiting for players who were active before 1970 to take their last breath. Knafelc has asked the league for help on behalf of other retired players who are facing struggles. He was not pleased with the response.
"We don't have a voice, and I really believe the reason that we don't have a voice is that they're hoping that if we keep dying off at the rate we are, we'll be all dead and they won't have to worry about anything," he told the TV station. "I'm not kidding at all. I'm very serious about that."
Knafelc, 81, played 10 seasons— 9 seasons with the Packers—and hung up his cleats in 1963. Knafelc served as the public address announcer at Lambeau Field for 40 years from 1964-2004.
He said the NFL Players Association’s concerns lie only with the current players and everyone who retired after 1970.
"The ones that played prior to that, they've kind of just forgotten entirely," he said. He added he has been told the injuries suffered by the older retirees “happened too long ago.”
"They don't have enough records to justify helping you out at that time," said Knafelc."In fact, they even come to the point of, 'How do we even know that injury was something you did playing football? It was not something you did later on?'"
