Ex-NFLers plea to Goodell: Help improve retirement since Gene Upshaw won’t

The commissioner has already helped retirees get better
medical care.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Daryl Johnston is one of the lucky ones. Despite breaking his neck opening holes for Emmitt Smith, he walks without a cane or a limp and is able to hold down a lucrative second career in broadcasting.

Yet Johnston sympathizes with broken-down former players who need help with medical bills and aren’t getting it. His own experience with the system was eye-opening.

So the former Dallas Cowboys fullback and current Fox NFL analyst jumped into the ongoing battle over disability payments Monday, albeit with a twist. Rather than continuing the name-calling that has overshadowed many of the issues, Johnston went with a new tactic by making a plea to commissioner Roger Goodell.

“The system is broke and it needs to be fixed. That’s the issue,” Johnston said. “I think we have the guy as commissioner to get this fixed.”

Johnston spoke out at a news conference organized by Gridiron Greats, a non-profit organization started by Jerry Kramer and fronted by Mike Ditka, Gale Sayers and others to help down-and-out former NFL players. Fourth & Goal is another group waging a similar campaign.

They’ve gotten the attention of Congress and drawn notice from the league office and from their real target, the NFL Players Association.

Anger management

Lately, though, there’s been more anger than progress, from face-to-face shouting matches to NFL Players Association boss Gene Upshaw threatening to break the neck of Gridiron Greats board member Joe DeLamielleure.

“We’ve got to get these guys together and stop the bickering, stop the arguing and start moving forward in a positive direction,” Johnston said. “Because Gridiron Greats and Fourth & Goal are simply Band-Aids to hold this system together until it gets corrected.”

The biggest problem facing the ex-players is a lack of leverage. Because they are represented by a union whose primary concern is current players, all the exes can do is what Johnston did Monday — appeal for public sympathy. They’re hoping enough of an outcry will push everyone to “do the right thing,” which happens to be the Gridiron Greats’ motto.

It’s also the crux of their plan to have Goodell shake things up.

Family matters

The commissioner has often said his father, Charles Goodell, did exactly that in September 1969 when he put his seat in the U.S. Senate on the line by speaking out against the Vietnam War. The move indeed cost Goodell his spot in Washington, but his son proudly keeps a reminder framed on his office wall. The commissioner also has shown a commitment to cleaning up the league’s image with his tough line against Michael Vick, Pacman Jones and other violators of the league’s personal conduct policy.

“We’ve got a commissioner who, to me, looks like he wants to do what’s right. All you have to do is skim the surface of this topic and you know what’s right,” Johnston said. “If Roger Goodell is who I think he is, his power trumps the NFLPA in this situation.”

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello noted Monday the commissioner already has been involved. He spoke about it just last week during a visit to Lions camp, and last month the league and the union launched a program that includes a $7 million medical fund.