Better really late than never. : The NFL has been ordered to pay retroactive benefits to the estate of Mike Webster. Webster played for the Steelers from 1974 to 1989, and by 1991 was "totally and permanently disabled" as a result of injuries sustained in play. The league refused to grant him a disability pension in 1999, and he died in 2002 at the age of 50.
posted by lil_brown_bat to football at 06:41 AM - 1 comment
I hope Webter's family can get some satisfaction from this because Mike obviously can't. Mike Webster was the prototypical center of his day...a little on the small side but mean as hell. He was the best in football...maybe the best center ever, in my opinion. He played on 4 Super Bowl Championship Steelers' teams (beating my beloved Cowboys twice!) and I believe he's the only offensive lineman to have ever accomplished that with the same team. The league absolutely screwed this guy and I hope this settlement can ease his family's pain a bit. RIP Mike Webster.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 08:22 AM on April 30, 2005