As it turns out, the NFL offensive lineman with the monosyllabic first and last names who filled in this week for Peter King was, as we initially guessed, Ravens center Matt Birk.
And to lead his guest effort at the Monday Morning Quarterback column, Birk calls for improved treatment of the men who made the NFL what it currently is.
“The men that came before us built this game into the multi-billion
dollar business it is today,” Birk writes. “Thousands of players fought for a lot of
the things today’s players enjoy -- free agency, top-notch medical
treatment and million-dollar contracts to name a few. Some of these
guys jeopardized their own careers by going on strike, knowing they
wouldn’t be the ones to reap the benefits of their personal and
professional sacrifices.”
And Birk isn’t calling on the league to pony up the money -- he thinks the current players should be the ones paying tribute in a very tangible way to those who blazed and then paved with diamond-studded asphalt the path on which today’s pro football players glide.
"[E]veryone associated with the NFL is making
money,” Birk says. “Under the current system, about 2 percent of the revenues being
paid to players goes toward retired players. So why can’t we give a
bigger piece of the pie to the players of yesteryear? Well, the owners
pay a negotiated percentage of revenues to the players. They feel like
they already give up enough.
“The NFLPA wants the money to go to current
players because football salaries already lag behind their baseball and
basketball counterparts, for which the NFLPA catches heat. So, if this
problem is going to be remedied it’s going to have to come from the
current players.”
Though some of Birk’s colleagues (especially those under the age of 25) might not agree with a veteran offensive lineman whose career is winding down, he’s right on this one. The owners aren’t going to devote more than 59 cents on the dollar to player costs. So the players will need to be prepared to break off some of their 59 cents for the benefit of the former players.
How about this outcome? The owners, who want to pay less than 59 cents on the dollar, continue to pay at the same rate -- and the players agree to measures aimed at increasing the total pie, such as an expansion of the regular season and a dramatic increase in international games. This will create even more dollars for the owners and the players -- current and retired -- to share.
It has the potential to be a true win-win-win. The league and the players will maintain labor peace, both sides appear generous and respectful to the men who came before them, and the retired players will get a fair share of the bounty that their blood, sweat, and ligaments helped create.
“When I entered the NFL in 1998, I was told the league was a
brotherhood,” Birk explains. “Once you were in, it was forever. It’s time we stand up
for our brothers who don’t have a voice. I really like playing football
for a living and I am grateful for the players who paved the way.
Giving more to these former players who did so much for us is the right
thing to do.”
In our view, the league and the union would be wise to fix this problem while Birk is still playing, because he will be a formidable voice on behalf of all retired players if meaningful action isn’t taken before Birk’s football career ends.
