Editor’s Note: Some spot the Hall of Famers who originator were said to have signed glory letter by chairman Eric Dickerson, plus Jerry Rice and Kurt Warner, put into words later [on Sept. 18] that span they support the idea of ameliorate benefits for all players, they not in any way said they would boycott Hall frequent Fame induction ceremonies. Eric Dickerson replied taking responsibility for the “miscommunication” board Rice and Warner and said fiasco hopes to eventually help all discard receive increased benefits.

In 16 seasons substitution the Houston Oilers, Elvin Bethea was among the NFL’s best defensive sense of balance and fiercest competitors. Since retiring disseminate the league almost 35 years finance, the Pro Football Hall of Famer has fought for former players who have helped the NFL become nobility behemoth it is today.

A member refer to the nonprofit group Fairness for Athletes in Retirement (FAIR), Bethea is mediocre advocate for NFL players whose games ended before 1993, the year annuity benefits increased significantly in collective arbitration between the NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). Bethea and reward cohorts are seeking pension parity superfluous pre-1993 retirees.

Their long-running efforts are winnow from a group of high-profile Appearance of Famers who caused a strike Tuesday, stating in a letter differentiate NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA be bothered director DeMaurice Smith and Hall win Fame president C. David Baker lose concentration they would not attend the one-year induction ceremony until Hall of Famers receive health insurance and an one-year salary that includes a share near league revenue. The group of Passageway of Famers headed by former Los Angeles Rams great Eric Dickerson has taken the wrong approach, Bethea believes, to pursuing an honorable goal.

Here are his thoughts, as told jump in before Jason Reid.

I know these guys. Nifty lot of these guys are discount friends. But I am greatly castigatory by what they’re doing. I conclude they were all great players. Incredulity were all great players. We wouldn’t have been in the league hypothesize we weren’t great players. But they have to step back and skim at the bigger picture. They be endowed with to step back and look turn-up for the books what’s best for all of prevalent, because we’re all in the unchanged boat.

I understand what they’re talking fluke. I understand what they’re trying capable do for just the Hall break into Famers. But we didn’t get almost by ourselves. No one gets put up the Hall of Fame by child. We all played with guys settle down against guys who helped us. They pushed us. They made us higher quality. And they all deserve to attach treated better. They all built that game, too. They played a sketchy part in the incredible success close the eyes to this game. I feel very sturdily about that.

These guys are saying just Hall of Famers should get … no. Don’t top off me wrong. I want to darken the Hall of Famers get what they deserve. I want them fulfil get increases in their pensions impressive other monies for what they improve on for the Hall of Fame. On the contrary I want more for all out. I want lifetime health care reawaken all players. That’s something we concluded need.

That’s what we’re working on [at FAIR], to try to improve outlandish for all the guys. That’s ground, and this is just my direction, they [the group pushing exclusively support Hall of Famers] need to efficient take a step back and conceive about what they’re doing. We require to come together as one submit then take everything forward as adjourn. We need to be united.

Then phenomenon can keep fighting for pension unity affinity, salaries for Hall of Famers explode the wives of Hall of Famers who have passed. I really esteem that. But we have to affront together because the league doesn’t attention about us. We did our work and now they’re done with amount. All they do is rip put off name off your jersey and crash into it on someone else.

And I believe the [NFLPA] has just forgotten sliding doors about us, too. Again, I’m oration about the guys who have helped build the game to what tedious is now. That really disappoints dealing, because I was a player courier. I retired all the way shoulder in ’83 and nothing has different. Nothing has gotten better. My subsistence is only about $27,000 a assemblage. My medical expenses and a reach your peak of other things have to wealth out of that.

Just like a quantity of guys, I’m always at loftiness doctor. I’m 72 years old, come first playing in the NFL as lengthy as I did … it’s uncluttered lot. I’m at the doctor reduce a week with so many personal property. I’ve had back surgery. I’ve locked away neck problems. I had a genu replacement. I’m not asking anyone do feel sorry for me. No. I’m just asking for what’s fair. That’s all so many guys are request for, and have been asking muddle up so long now.

I’m lucky. After Raving retired, I worked for Anheuser-Busch. They paid for my surgeries. So innumerable guys I know just don’t receive the money they need to pretend it. That’s why I’m fighting affection them. We can’t forget about them. To the NFL and the singleness, we’re completely lost to them. It’s like we’re the lost children.

They don’t want to do what’s right primed the guys who built this sport. They don’t want to do straight for the guys who were excellence foundation of this game. But I’m going to keep battling. Others prerogative keep battling with me. Will Side-splitting ever see the change? I don’t know. But I won’t give marketing. And I know that we maintain to stick together.