Football - Mike Ditka Fights For Old NFL Players

Mike Ditka, the former NFL tight end and coach is currently involved in a philanthropic endeavor at reviving the efforts to provide more financial support and assistance to the numerous NFL players who are completely.

Support is pouring in from many quarters for the online auction for the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. Former Packers Jerry Kramer’s website is hosting the online auction. It has collected data to prove the violent nature of the game. The highly acclaimed linebacker Wilber Marshall, who played for the Bears, has been incapacitated because of the game, while the former Colts’ player John Mackey is in need of round the clock medical care.

All these woes are due to the pathetically low pension levels. Although many efforts have been made to hike the pension, nothing fruitful came off them. According to Mike Ditka, the chief of the players' union - Gene Upshaw and the former NFL commissioner - Paul Tagliabue are responsible for foiling these efforts.

Ditka wrote letters, asking for a one time donation of $100,000 from all 32 NFL owners. He wanted to place $3.3 million in a trust fund and this would have provided a permanent solution to the financial crisis. However, the response was very poor.

Now for the online auction, Ditka is donating his NFC championship ring; former Bills offensive lineman Joe DeLamielleure has donate a golden bracelet inscribed by O J Simpson. With many players getting ready to part with highly memorable and personal articles to support the cause, its high time the NFL gets embarrassed and starts paying attention to the players who were responsible for getting NFL where it is now.