Sports are difficult to manage because of the way that players interact with each other, and they often do not respect the history of their game. There is no way to know if a player will care if the league lasts or not, and Eric Winston has been very clear that he does not care all that much. There could be a work stoppage when the latest CBA expires, and it looks as though the league and players will stop play to work out this new collective bargaining agreement.
What he said
What Winston actually said is that he cannot concern himself with the health of the league 20 years from now because he and his teammates will not be playing.
These players must care for their bodies as best they can, and they must ensure that they make as much money as possible in that time. Someone who is playing today has many things to consider, and they have every right to wonder if they can get through the season. Eric Winston is merely expressing the sentiment of many players who want to earn their money so that they can get out of the game.
Many people share these thoughts
Winston is not the first person to not have total love for his job. We expect these players to love the NFL more than anything, but that is completely unfair considering many Americans do not like their jobs, just want to get their paychecks, and want to get out as soon as possible.
Ask yourself if you care about the long term health of your employer. In most cases, you probably do not. That is fair for you to think, and we must allow Winston to have the same feelings about the NFL.
They love to fight
The NFL and the players Love To Fight over money, and it is true that the players have very little leverage.
They do not have guaranteed contracts that will help them earn more money, and they do not have the power to keep the owners in check because the owners have all the money. Players in other leagues have more control, and there are many people who will simply wait for football to come back. There will be no protests to support players, and there will be more things for Americans to do until the players go back to work.
The game will kill itself
The game of football will kill itself simply because of concussions and the general lack of safety for players. There are many players who are walking away early, and they are leaving the game because they think that it is too dangerous to play for too long. We have players leaving to do other things in life, and many more are retiring before their time simply because they want to have their health remain intact. Winston may be right, but it is not his fault that he feels this way.
