Retired football players want discussions to stop between the NFL and its active players, led by Tom Brady, claiming the Brady class is selling out retirees as active players cut a deal with the NFL and team owners over billions of dollars in TV revenue. "(T)he NFLPA is sacrificing the rights and benefits earned by and owed to NFL retired players in order to increase the revenues to active NFL players," according to the 64-page amended federal class action. "The settlement talks among the Brady plaintiffs, the NFLPA and the NFL and its member clubs with respect to former NFL players was intended to, and did, circumvent and harm retired NFL players for the benefit of the NFLPA and the NFL and its member clubs. Through the settlement they are forging, the Brady plaintiffs, the NFLPA and the NFL defendants are conspiring to set retiree benefit and pension levels at artificially low levels." Led by Carl Eller and Franco Harris, the retired players sued the NFL, the team owners and the class led by Tom Brady, in a Second Amended Class Action Complaint and Crossclaims. Eller claims the active players and the league are conspiring against retirees, "by depriving them of the ability to receive the level of retirement, health and medical benefits that they could have obtained in a market free from the alleged restraint." The Eller plaintiffs want to stop "discussions between the NFL and the NFLPA [NFL Players Association] aimed at injuring retired NFL players ... and to preclude any agreement among defendants that depresses or limits the benefits given to former NFL players from being implemented." The Eller plaintiffs take particular exception to a statement attributed to New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, one of the Brady plaintiffs. Claiming Brees "voiced his antipathy for NFL retirees," the Eller plaintiffs quote Bress as saying: "There's some guys out there that have made bad business decisions. They took their pensions early because they never went out and got a job. They've had a couple divorces and they're making payments to this place and that place. And that's why they don't have money. And they're coming to us to basically say, 'Please make up for my bad judgment." Sam Huff, a retired Hall of Fame lineman, responded by saying: "Drew Brees should keep his mouth shut. We [he and his Giants teammates from the 1950s and 1960s] would put a target on his back. I don't understand all this crap." Source: CourtHouseNews.com
We would put a large target on his back. Hmm, and Drew should keep his mouth shut? This is all a fight over money. Current players. Retired players. The NFL owners. Split it up, there's plenty to go around. Not all of what Drew said is wrong. Should he perhaps have worded it better? Probably. But seriously, don't make dumb comments when you tell someone they should keep their mouth shut.
unfortunately too many current players feel no need to take of those who helped make their bank accounts possible.
That may be so, I'm not disagreeing with that. I'm not even saying that Drew didn't discredit any of them, but he never said all of the players. He said some, and it would be correct. Like I said, his wording of it was wrong, but it was no more right for them to take a shot at him, either. I understand the frustration, and the defending themselves, but to say they'd put a target on his back and he needs to keep his mouth shut while they're making absurd comments like that doesn't give them any more leverage.
If I signed a contract 40 years ago and worked for a company 40 years ago, and retired when said company was still in its infancy and then 40 years later the business is booming, that doesn't give me the right to any more of the money
