Teams still in the NFL Pension plan

[MightyGiants]

 With new coaching staffs being assembled around the NFL, one of the hidden factors that lead to coaches selecting teams to work is participation in the league's pension program. One of the most despicable things done by the NFL owners and commissioner Roger Goodell is allowing teams to opt out of the pension program. In 2009, the owners voted to make the pension, the 401(k) and current supplemental retirement plan non-mandatory for NFL franchises. As a result, the majority of teams in the league have excited the pension program. Some teams offer a 401(k) plan, but in speaking to sources who were with a pension team previously, and now are with a 401(k) team, they said the pension plan is much better. According to league contacts, these are the only teams that are currently in the pension program:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans – frozen to new employees on June 2, 2022

"It's disgusting when you have guys as rich as Jerry Jones and David Tepper opt out of the pension for coaches and scouts," said a director of player personnel for one of the teams in the program. This director had been with three teams that weren't in the pension before leaving for one of the teams above.

"Due to a major stock market crash, the NFL pension was majorly underfunded in 2008," said a team president. "It scared some teams. Some talked about a different system, but they never followed through."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has failed tremendously on this issue, as the pension issues happened on his watch.

"He didn't care," texted the same team president. "His pension and all the league office personnel continued."

My response to that text was to say, "I'm not surprised. Goodell doesn't care about the coaches and scouts, except to avoid media criticism for not enough minority hires."

The team president responded, "Bingo."

There have been a lot of horrible things done by Goodell during his time as commissioner, and allowing teams to opt out of the pension is one of the worst. While head coaches are obviously paid well, there are a lot of area scouts who are not paid huge money. Yet Goodell's career earnings are around $700 million and his pension is funded. The billionaire owners of 21 franchises and Goodell should be ashamed at their treatment of team employees.

https://walterfootball.com/nfl-hot-press-2024-senior-bowl-rumors-friday.php