Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
The day in March that he was named the new NFL players union boss, at torney DeMaurice Smith said the union had a “moral obligation” to take care of retired players.
Since then, Smith has sought to improve contentious relations with NFL alums, many of whom lambasted deceased union leader Gene Upshaw for turning his back on retired players in dire financial need.
Browns Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure, one of Upshaw’s severest critics, has not been overly impressed with Smith so far.
“He talks good,” DeLamielleure said in a telephone interview. “He’s only been on the job since March. We’ll see how he does. I’m hopeful. But to me, it’s basically been a lot of lip service.”
DeLamielleure is one of 2,056 retired players who sued the NFLPA for permitting their likenesses on Electronic Arts’ Madden series video games without compensating them. The retired players were awarded a $28.1 million settlement. The NFLPA initially threatened to fight the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, but then Smith orchestrated a surprise settlement for $26 million last week. READ MORE
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