NFL, NFLPA Announce Disability Reforms; Ditka Dissolves Charity

Upshaw Says NFLPA Hiring Outside Company To Conduct Review Lead To Changes In Disability Plan

The NFL and NFLPA are changing their disability plan “with the hope it will streamline the process for players seeking disability payments,” according to Judy Battista of the N.Y. TIMES. NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw indicated that the changes resulted from the union hiring "an outside company to conduct a review.” The changes include 1) the addition of a medical director “to advise the two-person initial claims committee;” 2) doctor panels in major metropolitan areas that would “allow a player to see an appropriate specialist in a more timely manner;” 3) a claims specialist; 4) allowing trustees “to vote by electronic ballot on claims appeals;” 5) extending the review period from three to every five years for cases “in which a player is deemed to be totally and permanently disabled to determine if a player still qualifies for benefits;” and 6) providing “all retired vested players with a prescription drug card for discounted medication.” The changes come after the NFL and NFLPA on Monday announced that 14 medical centers had been selected “to help players in need of joint replacements.” During a news conference in Minneapolis yesterday, NFL HOFer Mike Ditka said the changes are “the greatest thing in the world. Get rid of the red tape” (N.Y. TIMES, 12/12).

DITKA: Ditka said that he would dissolve the Mike Ditka HOF Assistance Fund, which USA TODAY reported last week collected $1.3M but gave only $57,000 to ex-players in its first three years. Ditka said that he will “split the charity’s $600,000 in unspent funds" between Misericordia, a Catholic home for people with developmental disabilities in Chicago, and the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (USA TODAY, 12/12).  In Minneapolis, Mark Craig writes Ditka “angrily denied any wrongdoing while” making the announcement. Ditka: “For anybody to ever say I did anything wrong in the way I treated people or handled money … I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t make me very angry" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/12).  But in Chicago, Jay Mariotti writes, "Why didn't [Ditka] and his associates dissolve the trust fund, empty the contents and distribute the donations a long time ago?"  Ditka is "buckling to pressure from a front-page USA Today story" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/12). 

CURRENT PLAYERS: In Minneapolis, Kevin Seifert notes that at the same presser yesterday, Vikings C Matt Birk joined Chiefs OT Kyle Turley in donating $25,000 to Gridiron Greats. Birk also “has begun a public campaign in hopes of overhauling the [NFLPA’s] much-maligned disability and pension program.” During the coming week, Birk and Turley plan to “personally contact each active NFL player” in order to “encourage them to support a Dec. 23 fundraiser that has already collected $150,000.” Birk was joined at the event by Vikings G Steve Hutchinson, G Anthony Herrera, OL Marcus Johnson, C Ryan Cook and LB Ben Leber.  Meanwhile, Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez and RB Larry Johnson, Texans OT Ephraim Salaam and Giants LB Kawika Mitchell will also donate to the effort (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/12). Ditka also donated $25,000 to the GGAF, a personal donation separate from the money from the dissolved charity (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/12).