On Thanksgiving, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News shared a troubling glimpse into the current struggles of former NFL linebacker Darryl Talley, a member of the Bills’ Ring of Honor and a key piece of the team that went to four straight Super Bowls. While it appears the Bills organization may have turned its back on Talley, Bills fans definitely haven’t.
An effort launched Thursday to raise money for Talley, a College Football Hall of Famer who starred at West Virginia before playing for the Bills, already has generated more than $27,000.
On one hand, the NFL and its teams need to do more to take care of the men who struggle with medical and financial issues after giving so many years to the sport of football. On the other hand, fans could be the best way to fill the void.
It’s not surprising that fans have genuine gratitude; any success a team enjoys flows from the efforts of its players. While the NFL surely believes it’s doing enough to take care of the men who made pro football into a billion-dollar behemoth, someone needs to do more for Talley. Now, someone is.
Kudos to those who have contributed. For Bills fans, Mountaineer fans, and general fans of the sport who haven’t given but want to, just click the link.
