Football Veterans’ Group Moves Away From Founder

A charity founded in February by the ex-NFL player Jerry Kramer to aid former players has publicly distanced itself from Mr. Kramer after he met with NFL and union representatives, reports The Los Angeles Times.

The meeting was organized to respond to a growing dispute between the league, retired players’ advocates, and the players’ union over benefits for NFL veterans who are financially or medically needy.

But the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund released a statement that its founder, Mr. Kramer, attended the meeting as “an individual, and not as a representative” of the group, the newspaper reports.

Mr. Kramer expressed “cautious optimism” after the meeting about the NFL’s efforts to help retirees in need. But others scoffed at the proposed alliance.

“Nothing came out of [Tuesday’s] meeting that was concrete. They didn’t even decide when they’re going to meet again,” says Tom Nowatzke, a running back for the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Colts during the 1960s and ’70s, who is a board member of the Gridiron Greats.

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