The NFLPA's Commitment to Former Players

• The NFLPA provides its players with the most generous retirement package in all of professional sports, including access to a Pension Plan, a Second Career Savings Plan (401(k)), an Annuity Program, and Severance Pay.
• In 2007, the NFL contributed $216.3 million to the players’ retirement income plans, compared to $117.5 million in MLB, $34.3 million in the NBA, and $29 million in the NHL.

• Total assets of the Second Career Savings Plan and Annuity Program have grown from $0 in 1993 to over $800 million and $340 million, respectively.

• The NFLPA is constantly working to improve retired player benefits and access to these benefits.
• The vesting requirement for the Retirement Plan has decreased from 5 years to 3 years.
• The minimum monthly benefit credit has quadrupled since 1993, from $60 to $250.
• Plan 88 was added to the CBA in 2007 providing eligible retired players with up to $88,000 per year for medical and custodial care resulting from dementia or Alzheimer’s.
• In 2007, surviving widow and children benefits were tripled.
• The deadline of 48 months to allow players to apply for Line of Duty disability benefits was increased to the greater of 48 months or the number of credited seasons earned.
• Most players receiving Total & Permanent (T&P) disability will now only go through a continuation review every 5 years, as opposed to 3 years.
• Players who took their NFL pension early, and therefore were ineligible to apply for and receive disability benefits, recently had the opportunity to apply for T&P disability.

• The Gene Upshaw Players Assistance Trust Fund assists former players faced with catastrophic financial and health related issues by offering grants.
• $8.2 million have been awarded to 1,328 retired players since the fund’s inception in 1990.

Established in 2007, the Player Care Foundation is designed to promote improvements in the health and well-being of retired players by providing services such as:

The NFLPA takes an active role in facilitating the transition from life as an active player to life as a retired player through various educational initiatives and career programs, including: