Sundays, bright lights and team spirit are all positives associated with the NFL. Although the league attracts a fanbase of millions, the risks associated with playing professional football are extreme. Hard hits can result in head trauma as well as other serious injuries to a player’s spine, knees, shoulders and more. If a player is critically injured on the field, it can not only cut short his football career, but also potentially create difficulties in obtaining another career in the future. The debate surrounding whether or not professional athletes, particularly NFL players, should be granted workers’ compensation benefits has been long standing. It is difficult to determine whether an individual should be eligible to receive compensation if they are knowingly and willingly participating in dangerous work-related acvities, however others argue that just like any other job, an NFL player should be protected in the event that they are injured on-the-job.
Pros of Workers’ Compensation for NFL Players
It takes a large amount of courage for a player to step on the field knowing they could potentially incur a life-threatening injury during a game. Workers’ compensation reduces a player’s fear of what would happen to their income if they couldn’t play for a period of time. If NFL players were ineligible for workers’ compensation benefits, there would likely be a substantial percentage of players who would quit the league knowing that their livelihoods would be lost if they were injured. Although their risk of injury might be higher than the average worker, football players are also employees and should be able to receive protections just like any other worker.
Cons of Workers’ Compensation for NFL Players
Workers’ compensation benefits are in place to help those who suffer from unpredicted workplace accidents. Professional football is extremely difficult on a player’s body and the chance of an injury, even a minor one, is more probable than not throughout the course of their career. NFL players also make significantly higher salaries than the average injured worker, meaning their workers’ compensation benefits would reflect that as well.
The discussion about if NFL players should receive workers’ compensation, and if so, how much, is ongoing. The award of workers’ compensation to professional athletes is on a case-by-case basis and is determined by the length of time waited before filing a claim as well as other important differentiating factors. As fans, workers’ compensation isn’t something that we consider when we turn on the TV to watch a game, however a player’s eligibility for workers’ compensation in the event of an injury could make or break their career.