8/10/2019 James Acho NFLPA Letter

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ummings Mc lorey

M

D

D a v i s

A c h o , p.l.c.

A t t o r n e y s a n d C o u n s e lo r s at

L a w

33900

Schoo lc ra f t R o a d Livonia,

Mi chi gan 48150

Phone: 734)261-2400 Facsimile: 734)261-4510

Ja m e s R . A c h o

jacho@cmda-law.com

January

5, 2015

M r. E ri c

Winston

President,

Executive

Committee- Players Representative

NF L

Players Association

Cincinnati

Bengals

O ne P au l

B r ow n S t ad iu m

Cincinnati, O h io 4 5 20 2

Regarding:

NFLPA Executive

Director Election

Dear

Mr.

Winston,

I trust this note finds all is well for you. You don t know me,

an d

I won t t ake up much

of

your time, but

with the important election coming up this spring, I wanted to officially declare myself a candidate for

the position of Executive Director of the NFLPA. I respectfully request that you provide me with an

endorsement, or at least sign of f on my proceeding to present to your board. I know that Sean Gilbert,

the other candidate, has received requisite clearance, and all I request is equal t ime to present to your

board as to why I should be the next Executive Director of the NFLPA. In addition, while I am an initial

candidate, I seek official candidacy, and need the blessing

of

the Executive Committee to be placed on

the final ballot for the vote this spring, which is the second purpose

of

this letter.

For the better part of 15 years I have dedicated much of my law practice to advocating improved medical

benefits for retired players, and I have represented many who were wrongfully denied pensions or

benefits. I have done this largely pro bono through the NFL Alumni Association, often at no cost to the

player or the NFLAA. Fighting for player rights has been my passion, and it is why I have decided to

run for this position; I do so at the urging of many retired NFL players and after much deliberation.

Much of what

I

have done h as b ee n

behind the scenes - for instance, the fact that

the NF L

provides

ga p

or supplemental coverage to retirees on Medicare - many retirees credit me for that, after my battling

with the late Gene Upshaw, urging for him to push for the coverage. I was also at the press conference

to introduce the 88 Fund in honor of John Mackey, something I was instrumental in coming to fruition.

That

plan

provides much-needed

assistance to retirees with dementia.

I am endorsed for this campaign by the NFL Alumni Association s Director To m Nowatzke (feel free to

contact him about me at tomnowatzkesr@msn com an d further, Mike Ditka s

Gridiron G re at s, t he

organization providing assistance to players in need, will also vouch for my efforts (contact President

C l i n t o n T o w n s i n p . M I

G r a n d

R a p i d s

M l

L i v o n i a

M I

Traverse C i t y M I

K a n s a s

C i t y .M O

RI V ERSI D E, CA

8/10/2019 James Acho NFLPA Letter

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M r .

E r ic W i n st on

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Shannon Jordan at

shannoivJ@gridirongreats.org .

I can provide letters of reference and

recommendation of me for this position by numerous retirees, including Hall of Famer players. Further,

manycurrent playerswill and have endorsedme for thisposition,most notably two of the league s more

respected players, Larry Foote (call him at

313 409-3435

and LaMarr Woodley (email him at

KingWood56@gmail com

I will not bash current NFLPA ChiefDeMaurice Smith, for I feel overall he has done a solid job. Salaries

are at an all-time high, revenue sharing is as well, and benefits have improved. Nonetheless, I feel the

vital area that has been overlooked is longterm medical benefits for former and will-be former players,

and this is something I will address and rectify.As you know, the NFL will provide medical coverage

for 5 years post playing career, and then with the HRA, enough money to pay for COBRA which is

usually 18 months, no more than 24 months. So now you have a retired player, 30, maybe 35 years old,

and his body starts to break down and he has no medical coverage through the league and perhaps not at

all, save maybe through the Affordable Care Act, which has astronomical deductibles. There is no

guarantee that the NFL through its plans will reimburse or cover necessary procedures or unexpected

hospital stays. I have seen this with my own eyes, visiting players who were homeless, borderline

homeless, with others forced to file bankruptcy because

of

medical bills they could not pay and that the

NFL refused to cover. This is not hypothetical, but fact, and I ve seen it for 15 years and

I m

fed up with

it. It s wrong and

must

be corrected NOW.

My platform is very simple: getting the NFL to come to the table (you don t need to wait until the current

CBA expires) and discuss full Blue Cross/Blue Shield for former players and their spouses, for the

entirety of their post career until Medicare kicks in at age 65. This would mean retroactively including

players pre-1993, as well. ForgetCOBRA, forget HRAs, and forget plans that may or may not reimburse

a retiree. I m talking about full medical benefits for all former players and their spouses. Period. I know

I can get this done. I feel if given the opportunity I would be able to steer the NFLPA on its steady

course, protect current players, and still effect change that would benefit all former players, keeping in

mind that all players will be former players in the future. I hope you consider my request for the third

spot on the final ballot, and chance to present my plan. Please call me or email me at your earliest

c o n v en i en c e t o d i sc u ss this

further.

cc : Executive Committee;

Player Representatives of

A ll

32

N FL

C l u b s

Most Sincerely Yours,

James

R .

Acho

jacho@cmda-law.com

C l i n t o n

Townsh i p .

Ml

Grand Rap id s MI L i v on i a . MI

T r av e rs e C i ty .

MI

Ka n s a s

C i t y M O R i v e r s i d e .C A