Recently, we have seen workers in a variety of industries demanding their rights, whether it is higher wages, better benefits, or more personal freedom. They often make their case in ways that surprise others. Perhaps that is because we don't often think about the people on the front line: The people who drive the trucks that deliver the goods at 3:00 AM; the workers responsible for the basic details of automobile operations; the writers and performers whose creativity and commitment create the shows that entertain us and millions of others daily.
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A profession that we do not often associate with the moniker of “workers” is football, but that is exactly what those players on the field are. They are the workers whose labor has made football the most popular and prosperous sport in America with revenues closing in at nearly $20 billion. The players who will take the field in Las Vegas this Sunday to play in Super Bowl LVIII will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the NFL, broadcasters, and advertisers with their labor. The concept of the football player as a worker took root among the players in the 1970s and it began a battle that started players on the road to winning their rights – a fight that continues today.
In the 1970s when a young attorney named Ed Garvey was executive director of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), players consistently confronted owners over what should have been the players’ basic rights: salary negotiation, health insurance, pensions. However, during that time owners simply placed their power in the hands of National Football League commissioner Pete Rozelle, who had final say over most conflicts through something that was called the "Rozelle Rule."
Under Garvey's leadership, the NFLPA fought against that “Rule” by striking, bringing lawsuits (including one in particular by all-pro player John Mackey), protesting ("No Freedom, No Football" became the slogan of striking, picketing players, and their supporters), and engaging in more than a decade of often frustrating negotiations with owners to eventually reach some areas of compromise. The details of that struggle comprise the content of the late Ed Garvey’s book, Never Ask “Why”: Football Players’ Fight for Freedom in the NFL, which I had the honor of organizing and editing.
Even today, when NFL players highlight workplace issues, fans tend to assume that football players "have it made" given the publicity that focuses on major contracts, the average salary of approximately $2.7 million, and the median salary of approximately $870,000. In addition, today’s players receive health insurance (with some limitations) and retirement (with other limitations) so it is often assumed that players are more than comfortable.
However, fans often miss the fact that the average career of a professional football player is just a little over three years and that the extremely high salaries that are most frequently and widely reported raise the overall average disproportionately. If any person’s “career” is over at, say, age 25, they are left with many questions about what the future holds for them professionally and personally. Also often lost in the excitement of the games, especially when playoffs and the Super Bowl are underway, is that football is extremely demanding and often dangerous. It is certainly easy to admire the physicality of the game—the speed, strength, flexibility, and more that the workers on the field exhibit. But at the same time it is important to recognize that the physical components often come with a cost ranging from knee sprains or tears to severe concussions.
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I am certainly not a “No Football” person. Far from it. But it is necessary for the NFL to continue to make adjustments for the safety of players, who are the actual workers and are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever. Their strength and aggressiveness often attract the most attention from fans, coaches, and media. That is all fine as long as the game adapts to these factors, but adaptation is an ongoing process.
To be sure, there has been progress made since the intense struggles that occurred during the days of Ed Garvey's leadership. Though still difficult at times, a more cooperative relationship has emerged between the NFLPA and the NFL designed to help players plan for their future and to contribute to their safety on the field.
The NFLPA, for example, has established "#AthleteAnd" events under the slogan, "You are an AtheteAnd so much more!" These events provide players with input from business leaders about how to plan for their future and how to leverage the networks they have established through their football presence. In addition, the NFLPA now collaborates with sports technology company Infinite Athlete, to use state-of-the-art technology to explore new commercial opportunities for players and the NFLPA itself.
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As for the NFL, it has made a commitment to enhance and enforce players' safety. Very specific protective gear including knee, thigh, and shoulder pads as well as helmets are required. Any layers not wearing the specified equipment are not allowed to play and may be subject to fines. Also, the NFL and the NFLPA have worked together to establish panels that regularly meet and study the nature of injuries that occur and how to prevent them in the future.
Let's continue to admire the physicality of the game and respect the many exciting elements built into each play--the coordination, timing, speed, strength, teamwork, and fortitude that players exhibit. While progress is being made to ensure player safety and a more secure future, let’s be certain to recognize that the players are the workers, the entertainers, the ones taking risks on every play, so the game needs constant upgrading to support them on the field and for their futures.
Chuck Cascio is editor of the book Never Ask "Why": Football Players' Fight for Freedom in the NFL, available through Temple University Press.
