The Player Care Foundation of the National Football League was formed in 2007 in an effort to improve the quality of life for retired NFL players. The foundation provides financial grants and finances research aimed at the specific problems encountered by former professional football players in the USA.
The foundation is administered by a board of directors consisting of representatives from the NFL, the NFLAP, which is the players association, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the NFL Alumni Association. There are also a couple of board members whose expertise is in the field of social welfare issues and foundation management.
In 2007 the NFL Player Care Foundation received a $17 million endowment from which a portion has been used to underwrite medical research and nationwide health screenings for NFL players. Emphasis has been directed in the past couple of years to the study to the causes and effects, especially long term effects of concussions to professional football players.
One of the most important functions for the foundation is to provide monetary grants to qualified NFL alumni who are experiencing financial hardships. Even though pro football players do make a lot of money, you’d be surprised at how many former gridiron stars are in dire financial straits soon after leaving the league.
As major part of its granting function, the Player Care Foundation helps with major costs incurred by players for treatments such as joint replacement, spinal treatment and neurological care. These treatments would include operations done on the knee for ACL/MCL injuries.
Eligible players can receive up to $5,250 toward the expenses incurred with joint replacement surgery. The foundation will also help players gain access to a nationwide network of excellent healthcare facilities and coordinated care.
The former NFL Alumni Dire Need Fund has recently been taken over by the foundation which will now oversee applications for grants where needed.
In general, the foundation wants to improve its outreach and impact on retired players in order to ease their hardships later on in life when the money runs out and the injuries really start to hurt.
The former players in question did their time down on the football field playing one of the roughest and most dangerous sports still being played today. Their participation contributed greatly to the enormous success of the NFL today. Their great and courageous efforts should not and will not be forgotten thanks in part to the NFL Players Care Foundation.
