Ending Of Uniform NFL Pension Plan May Force Early Retirements
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Pension Change May Force
Moore Into Early Retirement |
A resolution passed at the NFL owners' meetings meetings in Dana Point, California in March allowed the 32 teams to "opt out of a uniformed pension plan, which has been a generous incentive for coaches to remain at the pro level," according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. While "many teams have yet to decide on their specific plans for non-playing employees," NFL Coaches Association Exec Dir Larry Kennan "painted a picture of betrayal." Kennan said that "confusion and mistrust over changes in the league's pension program is wreaking havoc with some NFL teams' coaching staffs, including the pending retirement of Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd." Kennan: "What a travesty it would be that two of the most successful coaches in the history of this league feel compelled to retire because of the owners' greed and the state of confusion by recent changes in the pension plan. ... The owners did this at the league meetings and they never informed me of anything. They didn't notify the (coaches) within their organizations, with the exception of two classy organizations -- the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens -- that there were changes coming." One owner said that teams that "want to remain attractive to coaches will have to seriously consider the impact of a diminished pension plan when competing for their services" (ESPN.com, 5/6). In Indianapolis, Phil Richards noted Mudd is "eligible to take his full pension in a lump-sum payment now, but that option may not exist after this year because the value of the fund has decreased so much recently" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/7).
BREAKING WITH POLICY: CBSSPORTS.com's Clark Judge reported nine teams -- the 49ers, Cardinals, Saints, Bills, Falcons, Cowboys, Texans, Patriots and Jaguars -- have "notified the league -- and their coaches -- that they intend to break with its policy." One assistant coach: "This is a big deal because guys fear that, in the end, they could get shafted. One of the attractions of the NFL was its pension plan. It took care of everyone. Now it doesn't. People are angry" (CBSSPORTS.com, 5/7). In Houston, John McClain reports Texans Owner Bob McNair "plans to meet with his employees next week to explain to them why he opted out and what the new plan will be." McNair said the resolution voted on by the owners "lets each club make our own decision about what type of pension plan we'll have" for non-playing employees. McNair: "It's a move to get costs under control. What we're going to have is, basically, the standard pension plan in American industry." McClain notes the Texans "do not expect assistant head coach/offense Alex Gibbs to retire" because of the pension plan change (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/8).
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