According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward predicted the players would go for the idea of an 18 game season if they receive better post-career health care from the NFL in return. "If they do, we still have to go out there and play it," Ward said in an interview this week. "It depends on how they do retirement plans. If you add two more games and talk about safety, you have to do something on the back end." What Ward wants is better and continued health insurance when a player's career ends. "We'd jeopardize our bodies for two more regular-season games so if they can do something special with health insurance I think the players will go for it," Ward said. "If they don't do anything on the back end, a lot of guys question if they want to play 18 -- if they even can. If they do add 18, you won't see guys like myself and James Farrior playing this long. Only quarterbacks. The life span of running backs will definitely be shortened. If we have to play 18 games, along with that you have to take care of us on the back end, it'll be all right." Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Bah, he is looking out for #1, he wants better health care (not that I blame him). I doubt anyone who has more then 5 years left in them wants to play 18 games. Only the guys with 1-3 years left want it so they can make a play for post career health care.
