Column: Athletes not so lucky after all
Published Sept. 11, 2007
If you ask the average child what he or she wants most, they will probably reply with aspirations for fame and fortune. And if you ask that same person how they will achieve such a lifestyle, they will probably point toward professional athletes.
Although there are over 1,600 players on National Football League rosters, only the elite earn salaries and endorsements similar to Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. We often fool ourselves to believe that every player enjoys an untroubled career, but largely, athletes are exposed to dangerous games that potentially lead to short careers and disturbing futures. On days like Sunday, our optimism endures a rude awakening, and those we envy most find themselves in our prayers. Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y., Kevin Everett became that player.
It only took one play for the Buffalo Bills' reserve tight end to make national headlines, though, unfortunately, under tragic circumstances. While attempting to cover a kickoff against the Denver Broncos, Everett's head collided with Bronco Domenik Hixon's shoulder, causing Everett to collapse and lay motionless. From the moment the tight end hit the ground, the worst was assumed as trainers and medics tended to Everett for what was ultimately deemed a cervical spine injury. After immediate surgery, Everett's physical future remains uncertain.
Everett's episode brings to mind an even more severe problem: the poor futures that await NFL players after retirement. While most players avoid injuries to the magnitude of Everett's, there is endless documentation regarding the mental and physical handicaps endured by competing in such a physical game. And while Manning might have the savings to support his post-career medical payments and personal care, the average player does not.
According to the NFL Players Association, the minimum salary for a rookie is $193,000 per year. Eventually, players with talent and longevity can reach the league average of $1.1 million. But the problem is that the average NFL career lasts just over three seasons.
According to the NFLPA, "While players may make more money than most people, they are only making it for an average of three and a half years."
Unlike Americans with a college education and subsequent career options, these frequently ill-educated athletes are forced to work low-paying jobs after they leave the game they love. Despite ongoing lawsuits by former players for increased benefits and pensions to support brain damage and battered bodies as a result of playing, the pleas are falling upon seemingly deaf ears. The same players that once lived luxurious lifestyles in their prime now find themselves debt-ridden in their old age. Our heroes of the past are now the pity of the present.
Hopefully, Kevin Everett will walk again, and maybe he will find the courage and strength to once again play the sport that might leave him crippled. And if he does, Everett will become a survivor who can fortuitously play long enough to secure his financial future. But even if he overcomes this tragedy, we must remember that not all of Everett's comrades will be as lucky.