from BizofFootball.com
The following is a guest article by Matthew Coller
When pro football Hall of Famer Joe DeLamielleure’s daughter walked into a Buffalo Bills merchandise store in Western New York, she expected to walk out wearing dad’s No. 68. After all, “Joe D” blocked for O.J. Simpson, Brian Sipe and famously battled Pittsburgh Steeler legend “Mean” Joe Greene. But Joe D’s daughter walked out empty handed.
Not because his name was too long to fit on a jersey, but because of a long-standing grudge with the NFL Players Association. Grudge may be putting it lightly. Deceased former President of the Players Association Gene Upshaw once said of DeLamielleure, “I’m going to break his damn neck.” Upshaw’s threat failed to curtail DeLamielleure’s outspokenness concerning the NFLPA’s treatment of retired players. The passing of Upshaw didn’t affect DeLamielleure’s stance either.
“Upshaw was the most arrogant and cold-hearted man I’ve ever met,” DeLamielleure said. “I never say I hate anyone, but I despise Upshaw.”
Since Upshaw’s death, the NFLPA named a successor DeMaurice Smith, but DeLamielleure is skeptical about the possibility of better treatment for retired players.
“He (DeMaurice Smith) is the guy they want,” he said. “It’s like naming Obama President but keeping Dick Cheney; you’re not going to change anything.”
Here’s the root of the conflict between retired players and the NFLPA: The NFLPA currently receives 60 percent of the $8.6 billion revenue of the league, “a crumb” as DeLamielleure puts it, is what retired players receive. The real number is less than two percent of the 60 percent. Under the current plan, players receive $475 per month for every year of service if a player qualifies for pension. To qualify, a player must be on an NFL roster for four full seasons. The fifth season is their first “credited” season, which means their pension then starts to increase with each additional season played. The pension does not include an inflation clause, which means if you accumulated $47,000 in pension, when you turn 55, likely over 20 years later, you get $47,000. READ MORE
