Former NFL players are now entering the age of retirement, more likely to live with chronic pain or disability, are more sad and concerned, and more likely to report some type of cognitive decline than the average American person, found in a new survey.
Nevertheless, despite all these, the vast majority say that they would do it again, and playing football had a positive impact on their life.
Conclusions are the result of a survey conducted by ESPN and independent health-policy research, voting and news organization KFF, seeking to assess the life results of NFL players that are around the age of specific retirement. The survey tried to contact all 1,532 players, who played in the NFL game during the 1988 season; 546 men participated, with an average age of 62, represented about one third of the players in the league that year.
45-Planning survey, the biggest independent study of its kind, in the years after retiring from NFL, asked many questions about the day-to-day life of players. Of the major findings of the survey:
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Almost all former players reported to be At least some pain In the last three months, half people said that they have pain every day and three-fourths said that pain limited his work and personal activity. Nearly half said that he had to focus, remember, or decide “serious difficulty” many times. With many measures, former players were much more likely to experience pain and mental health issues than that of men than men. (Comparison of men of uniform age is based on data of large federal health surveys or other KFF surveys.)
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Fifteen percent of the players said that a doctor had diagnosed him dementia. A study based on the National Health Interview Survey found that dementia has been diagnosed under 4% of men aged 65 years and above.
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About half of the players said that they felt depressed in the last 12 months, while a quarter of men between 55 and 75 years of age.
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Six out of 10 players reported to be with some type of disability – including difficulty in walking or climbing, dressing or bathing on stairs – three times at the rate of men at their age.
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Black player worse Compared to white players across the board, from physical and mental illnesses to interaction with income and law enforcement.
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East-players continue to hug the game in various ways but they were Divided into their approach To deal with football about youth. Nearly one-third said that the risk of tackling football before high school, and 1 of 1 said they would support the ban on tackling football for children below high school level.
Nevertheless, 9 out of 10 players said that they would take the same decision to play professional football. Even among the players who said that NFL had a negative impact on both their physical health and mental welfare, 78% said they would decide to play again.
In a statement responding to the survey, a spokesman for NFL noted the league efforts to fund health and welfare programs through its collective bargain agreement with the NFL Players Association.
The statement said, “In the previous CBA, the parties invested more than $ 2 billion to increase player pension and health benefits and prolonged care, counseling and career infection programs have increased significantly,” the statement said.
The spokesperson also cited efforts to support former players through the community of NFL legends and steps to make the game safe, “to apply strategies to join and implement strategies to remove head effects from sports.”
League last season Informed The lowest since 182 convention, 17% decline from last season and look at data in 2015.
The statement said, “When we are encouraged by this progress, we know that there is no finish line for the health and safety of the players and are committed to finding ways to continue for improvement,” the statement says.
A NFLPA spokesperson pointed out the programs Professional athlete foundation And former association players service departments that provide assistance to former players. The spokesperson said in a statement, “We recognize the toll that the football game has taken on the body and mind of our former player population. Their later career pain and challenges are well documented, and our union is committed to contributing to useful resources and support.”
The previous study of NFL players funded by the league or NFLPA has focused on a large -scale head trauma and continuous physical illnesses. The Survey of ESPN and KFF told the players about their physical good-including their ability to complete some tasks, and the pain they feel-but also with questions about their mental acumen, feelings and oblivion. He was also asked about his post-NFL career, marriage, children, income, run-in and his opinion and his opinion with NFL.
The players answered questions at the open end with assurance, their comments will remain anonymous. In his reactions, some were struggling with their game career professionals and opposition.
For example, when asked why he would not play professional football again or not, more than 30 reactions included phrases such as “childhood dreams” and “Dream Coming True”. A player noted the “great competition and a comradery” of football and said, even though he came to know about the initial Alzheimer’s, “I will do it again.”
Other athletes pointed to the lifetime opportunities obtained by an NFL career – including money, fame and social confidence – as a reason to bear the standing toll.
One player said, “Playing football … I faced people of different ethnicities, religious beliefs, achievements and family units, who gave me a lot of attitude on living.”
Those who said that they would not choose to play again, often do anger and regrets. One player listed a litni of surgery: two hip replacements, five shoulder replacement and one knee replacement. “I can’t catch with my grandson. I can no longer play a guitar or piano. I can’t travel hiking … I can not physically do an F — ING can’t work,” he said.
Another player said: “Football has been a blessing for me, but it has been a curse even in a long time. Sometimes I want I never played this dear game that I loved. … The football game gave me a lot. But it took me a lot more, until you can play yourself, you can’t explain yourself.”
Some cited mental health issues: “I blew up two great relationships and had issues as my nature with my children and the loss of memory obstructed my ability to interact. The quality of my life is useless, just sitting here waiting to die.”
Another player said that he had undergone surgery on both the hips, both knees and “unknown number of convention”.
“I am confident that my wife is almost at the end of her intelligence with me because I am not the person she met 30 years ago,” she said. “Don’t misunderstand me, my life is not as bad as it can, and I am grateful for it.”
There is a huge opinion that regardless of the pain and sacrifice race, the rights were worthy of the opportunity for the players. But in many cases, black players were more likely than white players to report mental health issues and cognitive decline, physical pain that limits their work or life activities and financial difficulties. For example, 37% black former players reported that they were unable to work due to football -related disability compared to 19% white players.
While previous studies have shown inequalities between black and white people in a series of life and medical results, usually, black players also reported more problems – and more severity of problems – their age in many physical and mental health matrix than other black men.
The survey also tried to find out what the players thought about young football, including their decisions to allow their children to play. About 10 players encouraged their children to play football, with about half of the people said that the game had a negative impact on their physical and mental health.
The survey also tried to take into account at least 128 players in the 1988 season who died or who could not conduct survey due to physical or mental illness. The surveyors approached relatives or other representatives to answer questions as a proxy for those athletes. Of the 19 scenes to agree to take up the survey (18 of whom represented a player who died), 11 said that football had a positive impact on his loved one and seven said it had a negative impact. One said that there was no effect.
ESPN selected the 1988 season players to survey, when the widow of former New Orleans Saints contacted an aggressive lineman Deraan Gilbert and expressed concern about her husband’s struggles before her death and her death. The status of many of his colleagues,
His request inspired ESPN to find out the results of the life of NFL players of the 1980s – an era in which the prevalence of cocaine, two players attacks, changes in rules, more than double the average salary and the ban of steroids.
Among the survey respondents, 23% white players and 5% black players said they used anabolic steroids. 4 out of 10 players stated that they have been diagnosed with low testosterone, erectile dysfunction or reproductive issues. Players who reported the issues were more likely to say that they used anabolic steroids compared to the players not diagnosed with those issues. Research has shown that the use of steroids can affect fertility.
Most players – 73% – said they are very or somewhat satisfied with their personal financial situation. About 3 players reported 2023 family income of less than $ 90,000. (The average family income in the United States is approximately $ 80,000.) 4 out of 10 declined between $ 10 $ 90,000 and $ 200,000, and the income of the respondents in the final 3 out of 10 has been reported to be 200,000 or more.
Nevertheless, 1 of 1 reported delay in health care at least once in the last one year due to cost, and 4 out of 10 reported unlicensed at some points as they stopped playing professional football.
One in 10 said that he was behind on his rent or hostage in the last 12 months. Since he retired from professional football, 16% said he had lost his house for eviction or criminal, and 17% said he had declared personal insolvency. About 1 in 4 said that they currently have a loan which is the previous reason or they are unable to pay.
Although it can be difficult to believe that wealth and fame is often associated with NFL players, consider: In 1988, the average NFL salary was approximately $ 250,000 – equal to about $ 700,000 in 2025. The current NFL is a minimum minimum $ 840,000.
For more information, go KFF’s website,
