A friend of mine recently e-mailed me a copy of a letter written August 1, 1944 by E. L. "Curley" Lambeau, Coach and Manager of the Green Bay Packers. The letter was addressed to Ed. J. McGroaraty and it stated (misspelled words included):

Dear Ed:
Inclosed you will find regular League contracts for your signature. We will start you at $150.00 per game, pay your transportation to Green Bay and $35.00 per week living expenses until the first game. We will gladly increase the amount of this contract as soon as you are playing the kind of ball deserving more money. I take it for granted that you will have no trouble getting a leave of absence, therefore, am sending contracts to you.

Our first practice is August 20th in Green Bay. Of course, you know we furnish all football equipment.

I am sure Moose would be happy about the fact that you will be with us, and I feel sure that you will enjoy a connection with us this year.

Please sign two copies of the contract and return immediately.

Best personal regards,
E.L. "Curly" Lambeau
"GREEN BAY PACKERS"
FIVE TIMES WORLDS CHAMPIONS

The contract itself was a simple, one page document that was totally one-sided and completely favored the league and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers reserved the right to terminate with or without cause the services of the player with 48 hours.

The player could not offer his services to any other team during or after the year and the club reserved the right to extend the contract for a succeeding year at the same or lower wage rate to be determined by the club.

Compare this to today's ridiculous rookie salaries. Quarterback Sam Bradford received $50 million guaranteed last year from the St. Louis Rams as part of a six-year $78 million contract. And mind you, the Rams feel they got a steal!

The players of yesteryear, from the looks of the contract, had no health insurance or any kind of pension benefits, not to mention disability protection. They did it "for the love of the game" as the old expression goes. Many of those same players suffer extreme problems today because of the lack of benefits at the time they played.

My late attorney, Craig S. Kelly represented a number of NFL players and coaches from Coach Bill Belichick to All-Pro NY Giants linebacker Harry Carson. Prior to his death, Craig used to fight the good fight on issues like pension and disability benefits. Craig was on the cutting edge of these issues and helped open the doors to many of today's players.

Still, many players from yesteryear still have to fight for disability benefits and attorneys like Kurt Ward have on-going legal battles with the NFL to gain benefits for former players. Some of these fights have been going on for over three decades.

The National Football League is literally in a league to itself. No other professional sport enjoys as much financial success as the NFL, thanks in large part to the excellent leadership it has had over the years from the likes of Roger Goodell, who is an attorney himself. He has run the league since 2006 during its most successful years.

His predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, ran the show from 1989 to 2006 but many credit Pete Rozelle for really putting the NFL on the financial map, introducing the NFL to television on a wider scale. He was commissioner from 1960 to 1989 and enjoyed the longest tenure at the helm of the league.

With all this financial success the league currently enjoys, it’s a shame that players still have very little dignity after football comes to an end. The National Football League Players Association estimates that the average tenure of a professional football player is only three and one-half years, according to answers.com.

In other words, players have to earn a lifetime of earnings and benefits in what amounts to less than the term of a college education. Many have nothing to show for it when it’s all over and done with, save the nagging injuries and disabilities that will hamper them for a lifetime.

Shame on today’s NFL for allowing this to be the rule rather than the exception. Craig Kelly has to be flipping in his grave that little has changed since he began the fight two decades ago.

By the way, by all accounts, Mr. McGroraty never made it out of training camp. Perhaps an argument could be made that he was overpaid.