Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach and East Fallowfield resident Dick Vermeil is speaking out about the devastating impact of concussions on players and the struggles for fair compensation through the NFL’s settlement, write David Gambacorta and Gabe Coffey for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The 1980 team, which was led by Vermeil, was the first in the Eagles’ history to appear in a Super Bowl. They lost the match but remained beloved by fans for decades. 

Over the years, out of the 22 starters, 12 players developed neurocognitive problems including dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. To this day, players and their families are fighting for the proper compensation they believe they deserve from the NFL’s concussion settlement program. 

Now, many of them are going public with their grievances in a video investigation by The Inquirer. 

“I get upset that the wives and the players, within this environment, are being put through such an almost demeaning routine,” said Vermeil. “It pisses me off. Yeah, it really does. I’m here, in a successful life, because of those guys. I didn’t play a snap, and I feel a real responsibility to represent them [to get] what they deserve.” 

Read more about Dick Vermeil speaking out about football concussions and their consequences in The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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