Before you jump down my throat, you need to know that I understand any argument you’ll bring forward and that I agree with you. Yes, Jim Plunkett had the fortunate opportunity to play football as a career. Yes, he made a great living at it and lived a life most will only dream of. All of that is true.
The most common argument that people bring forward is that every NFL player, given the chance, would do it all over again. Regardless of their post career complications, the belief is that the love of the game outweighs all else. Plunkkett may not agree with those players.
More importantly, can we tell Rodger Goodell to go fuck himself? Goodell has begun to push the narrative that football is “good for you” and “good for your body.”
This week at the Jets camp, the commissioner (dictator) said, “The average NFL player lives five years longer than you. So their lifespan is actually longer and healthier. And I think because of all the advancements, including the medical care, that number is going to even increase for them.”
That’s right. That fucking sociopath said that with a straight face.
Hey Rodger, let me introduce you to Jim Plunkett.
MercuryNews.com: “He rises from a chair next to his Heisman Trophy in a room stuffed with dozens of silver and gold keepsakes that recognize a remarkable sports legacy. At 6-foot-3, Jim Plunkett still commands a room.
But underneath the tanned exterior anxiety grows over an uncertain future.
“My life sucks,” said Jim Plunkett, 69. “It’s no fun being in this body right now. Everything hurts.”
The years of daily pain pulsating from the neck, back, knees, shoulders, hips and head have taken a toll on a quarterback who played 15 NFL seasons and led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories.
His body is a patchwork of medical magic: Artificial knees, an artificial shoulder and a surgically repaired back. After 18 operations, Plunkett’s activities have been reduced to golf and light workouts at home on a Crosstrainer.”
